The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abuja zone, has raised concerns over what it described as an ugly trend of treating its members as slaves in some public universities in the country.
Briefing newsmen Thursday in Abuja, Salihu Muhammed Lawal, Abuja Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, said their members have suffered various forms of victimisation such as suspension from duty, denial of promotion, deliberate withholding of salaries, dismissal from service without recourse to due process, and stifling of union’s activities.
Lawal said if not checked, it could lead to industrial disharmony among members.
“We are worried by this ugly trend. It is obvious that there is a trend in our public universities that may lead to unwarranted and avoidable industrial disharmony, because our Union would not sit idly and allow visitors to the universities and some overzealous university administrators erode the culture of academic excellence and rule of law as guaranteed in the university Acts and ultimately, the Constitution of the Federal Republic,” he said.
According to him, the case of victimisation of ASUU members began at the Kogi State University.
He said: “At the Kogi State University, Anyigba, a crisis began due to the lack of understanding of the modus operandi of the University system by the operators and the Visitors to the University. The autonomy of the system had always been infringed upon, leading to a frosty relationship between the union and the university management.”
He further said this reached a crescendo when the university administration started trampling on the rights and privileges of academic staff.
“All efforts by the union to address these anomalies were met with stiff opposition from the university authority and the visitors to the university. This situation led to a strike action that culminated in the dismissal of 120,” he said.
Among other other universities, he said such cases have been reported include the Lagos State University (LASU); Ebonyi State University (EBSU); Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma (AAUE), Edo State; Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State; and most recently the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).
He said: “At the Lagos State University (LASU), there was a reckless clampdown on the union’s activities and outright victimization of the union’s leadership as well.
“At the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), there was gross interference by the political class in the administration of the institution which has resulted into the inhuman treatment of our members.
“In place of the university’s Governing Council, a group of questionable characters known as ‘The Divine Mandate Professors’ took over and usurped the powers of the Council.
“At the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), the interest of the University Administration has led to the persecution of union members as well as crippling of its activities on campus.”
ASUU, therefore, called on all visitors to the affected state and federal universities to quickly address all issues that can further make campuses a battlefield.
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