By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI— Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone, processed peacefully from Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, to the Government House, where they handed over a letter addressed to the President.

The letter was signed by the ASUU Owerri Zonal Coordinator, Dr. S.M. Nzota, as well as ASUU Chairmen of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, and Imo State University, Owerri, Dr. R.A. Ejimofor and Mr Vitalis Nwulu, respectively.

ASUU reminded the President that “the agreement arrived at, after two years of painstaking negotiation, holds the promise of revamping public universities in Nigeria, as well as stopping the rot in the system”.

They however,  lamented that “unfortunately, this agreement has been subjected to serious misinterpretation by government machinery and bureaucracy”, stressing that this is in spite of the fact that this agreement contains provisions for reversing the brain drain in the system.

Government was equally reminded that the unsigned agreement made provisions for enhancing the quality of infrastructure in the system, increasing the level of funding, achieving autonomy and improving the welfare of the academic staff and other sundry issues.

“All these hold promise for elevating the educational system and positioning it to play a proper role in the development of the country and achieving global rating and international competitiveness”, ASUU Owerri Zone said in the letter.