The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has staged a peaceful protest over the failure of the federal government to resolve issues plaguing Nigerian public universities.
Members of the union who started the protest from ASUU secretariat at ABU, went round the institution, stopping at the Senate building.
The placards carried by the lecturers had inscriptions such as: “Release Fund For Revitalization of Public Universities now!”, “ASUU-ABU Say No To Underfunding of Public Universities”, “TETFUND Should Compliment Not Replace Adequate and Regular Budgetary Allocation.”
Speaking after the protest, Comrade Haruna Mohammed Jibril, ASUU-ABU Chairman, accused the government of insincerity and neglect worsening the living and working conditions of academic staff.
He reemphasized the Union’s demands to include the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement ffunding for public university revitalization, and payment of outstanding entitlements.
“The Federal Government has persistently refused to pay the outstanding three-and-a-half months withheld salary for work already completed by our members.”
“Moreover, many academic staff in ABU , Zaria have also been denied promotional and consequential salary adjustment arrears. The federal government must urgently release the withheld salaries of staff affected by the implementation of IPPIS, whether they were on sabbatical at other federal universities or due to related reasons.”