Education

September 14, 2024

Check vice chancellors’ tyrannical tendencies – ASUU urges govs, governing councils

Check vice chancellors’ tyrannical tendencies – ASUU urges govs, governing councils

By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has called on State Governors, as well as State University Governing Councils to check acts of tyranny among Vice Chancellors.

In a statement issued by ASUU coordinator for Akure zone, Dr Adeola Ẹgbẹdokun and made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Saturday, he said governors and governing councils need to curb the excesses of Vice Chancellors administering state Universities.

While frowning at the victimisation meted to its members at Lagos State University, LASU, Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, AAUE, Kogi State University, KSU, Ebonyi State University, EBSU, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Awka, COOU, because of their involvement in Union activities.

It reads in part, “We (ASUU) have come again to draw the attention of the public to the continued unjust victimization of our dear 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), Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Awka (COOU) because of their resolve to stand by the truth.

“Our members have suffered summary dismissal from service of the University, denial of promotion, non-payment of salaries for several monts, and non remittance of third party deduction for participating in Union activities. It must be placed on record that our members are being victimized for doing due diligence in the dischagre of their duites.

“Unfortunately, the state players, who could not bear the sight of truth have dicided to clamp down on the truth. Compatriots of the Press, we are not unaware of the recent revelations regarding the dramatis personae who engineered the victimization of our members. The fear of arrest, the karma of going into oblivion, the shame of forgery amongst other ills are trailing these individuals.

“ASUU is particularly disturbed at the seeming travesty of justice in the judgment delivered against our members at the Kogi State University, Anyigba, after seven odd years of waiting! We are worried by the extended period of court proceedings in respect of our colleagues who are also illegally sacked at Lagos State University for upward of five years! We are utterly dissatisfied with developments in EBSU where, rather than implementing the court judgment and reinstating our sacked colleague, the Chairperson of the Branch, the University prefers to chase shadows by appealing the judgment. Further, the union is surprised with the continued persecution of our members in FUTO.

“We urge the state actors to take decisive steps towards resolving all lingering crises and give the University system a fresh breath of life. It remains a puzzle to the Union that the state would ignore funding of their Universities with recklessabandon. This is the case in COOU! The state has refused to release funds and thereforeimpeding on the welfare of our members.

“We hereby urge Governing Councils and Visitors to state universities to take special interest in the application of the Laws governing their respective institutions and ensure that tyrannical tendencies of certain Vice-Chancellors are curbed. We also demand that all dismissed members across all Universities where our members are being victimized be reinstated immediately and unconditionally. 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”.