By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
The Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Chapter, last Tuesday protested what they described as a poor salary structure, victimization as well as poor welfare package.
The peaceful protest march was led by ASUU-NAU Chairperson, Innocent C. Nnubia, and Zonal Coordinator of the Union (ASUU Owerri Zone), Prof Dennis Aribodor, and a host of lecturers, marched through major roads in the university brandishing placards with various inscriptions.
The protesters marched from the ASUU Secretariat through to the Enugu-Onitsha highway and ended at the administrative blocks of the university, where they demanded audience with the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Carol Arinze-Umobi.
Addressing the acting Vice Chancellor of NAU at the Administrative Block of Awka Campus of the institution, ‘ASUU is not a strike monger and doesn’t go on strike for the sake of strike, but any time it embarks on strike, there must be a critical issue.’
He stated that the ASUU members are tired of waiting for the settlement of their overdue entitlements, lamenting that the lecturers had been relegated to the background.
The ASUU-NAU Chairperson said ‘Three months ago at the National Secretariat, ASUU held a press conference and specifically raised the following issues: Conclusion of the Re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement; immediate payment of three and half months withheld salaries; sustainable funding of our universities.
‘Others are revitalization of public universities; victimization of our colleges in LASU, KSU (now Prince Abubakar Audu University) and FUTO; payment of outstanding 25-35% salary arrears; promotion arrears for over 4-year third party deductions.
‘The government made promises to address these issues, but regrettably, we are here to inform the general public, through our dear compatriots in the press, that these issues are still lingering.
He condemned the victimisation of ASUU members at Kogi State University, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu University (COOU) and Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri, calling for peaceful resolution of their cases.
Responding, the Acting Vice Chancellor of UniZik, Arinze-Umobi, represented by a member of the Governing Council, Prof. Pius Okoye appreciated the patience and orderly manner of the protest.
Arinze-Umobi, however, promised that the institution would do everything humanly possible to liaise with the appropriate authorities on the need to address their demands and condemn the delay tactics being employed by the Federal Government.
