The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Akure zone, has called the attention of the public to what it described as unjust victimisation of its members in Lagos State University (LASU), Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma (AAUE), Kogi State University (KSU), Ebonyi State University( (EBSU), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University(COOU), Awka.
This group of victims according to the zone is being victimsed due to its resolve for standing for the truth and doing due diligence in the discharge of duties.
This was contained in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune and signed by the zonal coordinator, ASUU, Akure zone, Dr Adeola Oyebisi Egbedokun .
According the statement, these members have suffered summary dismissal from the service of their universities, denial of promotion, non-payment of salaries for several months, and non-remittance of third party deduction for participating in union activities.
The statement reads further: “ASUU is particularly disturbed at the judgement delivered against our members at the Kogi State University, Ayingba, after seven years of waiting. We are worried about the extended period of court proceedings in respect of our colleagues who are also illegally sacked at the Lagos State University for upward of five years, we are utterly dissatisfied with development in EBSU, where, rather than implementing the court judgement and reinstating our sacked colleagues, it was appealed .”
“It remains a puzzle to the union that the state would ignore funding of their universities with reckless abandon. This is the case in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, (COOU), Awka. The state has refused to release funds and therefore impeding on the welfare of our members.”
The zone then urged the government to take decisive steps towards resolving all lingering crises and give the university system a fresh breath of life.
It also appealed to the governing councils and visitors to the state universities to take special interest in the application of the laws governing their respective institutions and ensure that tyrannical tendencies are curbed.
It also demanded that all dismissed members across all universities where their members are being victimised be reinstated immediately and unconditionally, saying all withheld promotion cases, unremitted third party deductions be released without delay.
“This is the path of honour, and a healthy path to restoring peace and engendering labour-friendliness in Nigeria universities.”
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