ASUU shut Uniuyo, suspends exams to protest FG ill-treatment

By Egufe Yafugborhi

UYO – ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday shut both campuses of the University of Uyo (Uniuyo) in Akwa Ibom state over the union’s nationwide protest against the federal government’s ill-treatment, including failure to complete the renegotiated 2009 agreement.

The shutdown has resulted in suspension of all examinations scheduled to commence from Tuesday in the university as lecturers came out in numbers early in the day in protest over the town campus of the University, the annex and Ikpa Road.

The protesters flew placards asserting, “Our salaries are too poor’, ‘pay us sustainable living salaries’, ‘Treat lecturers with some dignity’, ‘We are FG lecturers and not borrower, ‘Government please sign and implement our renegotiated agreement,” among others.

Prof Opeyemi Olajide, Chairperson, ASUU Uniuyo lamented at the main campus how federal varsities lecturers in Nigeria have been on fixed salary for over 16 years without any increase despite the harsh economic realities.

“Today, University lecturers are staging protest to let the world know how federal government is treating us with disdain. Federal Government of Nigeria has decided to destroy public university system as it did to public primary and secondary schools.

“Federal government still withheld our salaries for three and half months after we have done the job. We have been on same salary for 16 years. Federal government has refused to fund infrastructure in public universities, look at where you are taking your exams, is it befitting?

“Federal government has refused to fund infrastructure in public universities. We are not happy about it. So there is no examination today, go home!” He told students of the institution.

He ordered all students who came for their Computer Based Test, CBT, exams to go home as no examination would be administered, threatening the union might embark on an indefinite strike if nothing is done to address their concerns.

Dr Nwachukwu Anyim, former ASUU Chairperson, Uniuyo branch said, “If you expect university lecturers to earn same salary for over 15 years and you are still imagining reviewing salaries of political office holders, that is wickedness of the highest order, for those who already earning humongous salaries?

“You are even thinking of reviewing it, that is wickedness! We are doing this (on strike) to tell Nigerians we don’t like the going on strike but there is no option. My salaries have been withheld, loans that I took, I’ve ended up paying, then they deducted salaries and the deductions are in someone’s pocket or bank account.

“That’s wickedness, yet we still go to class to teach our students. Those in power that maltreat us should know that power is transient
Where are the Ngiges’ of this world today?”

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