‘Check proliferation of universities in Nigeria’ – ASUU tells NUC

By Muhammed Yakubu On Feb 21, 2024

ASUU,NUC, Kano, Bola Tinubu, Dollar, Insecurity — ‘Check proliferation of universities in Nigeria’ - ASUU tells NUC

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Kano zone has called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to check the proliferation of universities in the country.

The call was made by ASUU Kano Zone coordinator, Abdulqadir Muhammad during a press conference at the end of a zonal meeting comprising the seven universities in the zone on Wednesday.

He argued that there’s need for the federal government to urgently review the (NUC) Act to check proliferation of universities without adequate provision for funding.

In the same vein, the union urged President Bola Ahmad Tinubu to implement the content of the agreement government signed with the union describing it as the only way to end incessant strike actions.

These issues include renegotiation of the Federal Government – ASUU 2009 agreement which was reached when the exchange rate to the dollar was N146.7 and currently has risen to N1,900 per dollar, saying this has eroded their salary by 90 percent.

“ASUU calls on the President Tinubu-led administration to immediately set in motion the process of upward-reviewing and signing of the Nimi Briggs Committee’s renegotiated draft agreement as a mark of Goodwill and to forestall industrial crisis and restore hope for Nigeria’s public universities,” the union said.

“ASUU uses this opportunity to call on all patriots in the media, civil society, labour movement and student groups to support its altruistic struggle to reposition Nigerian public universities.”

While the coordinator confirmed that his members have started receiving partial payments of their seven and half months withheld salaries, he called on the government to tour the path of honour and pay the remaining balance. ASUU also called on the government to pay earned academic allowances and promotion arrears of it members

The union further urged the Kaduna state government to immediately and unconditionally pay the five-month withheld salaries of Kaduna State University.

On the state of the nation, ASUU expressed worry over the spate of insecurity, worsening poverty, unemployment, rising cost of living, displacement, and heightened destitution in the country.