Barely six months after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that led to the suspension of an indefinite strike, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sa’adu Zungur University branch, has accused the university management of foot-dragging in implementing the agreed-upon agreements.
WikkiTimes reports that in November 2024, ASUU declared an indefinite strike to press home its demands, including accumulated unpaid earned academic and excess workload allowances, the lack of a pension and death schemes, and the massive exodus of senior academic staff trained by the Bauchi government.
However, the Union suspended the strike in December due to the prompt intervention by Governor Bala Mohammed. Similarly, the governor approved an upward review of the monthly allocation of funds to the university to support the management in addressing pending entitlements of ASUU members.
The MoU was supposed to be implemented within 12 calendar months.
ASUU in a communique issued at the end of its congress jointly signed by the Chairperson and Assistant Secretary of the Union, Comrade Auwal Nuhu and Yahaya Yakubu, alleged that the effort of Governor Mohammed in addressing the issues raised “may hit a brick wall.”
“The Congress has noted with dismay the strategic and deliberate attempts by the University Administration to sabotage the achievements of the MoU within the stipulated time. The time stipulated by the MoU is now halfway. Yet a huge part of the accumulated claims remain unsettled despite the substantial improvement in funds to the University over the months.
“The University Administration has been engaging in shifting goal posts and denying the Union information regarding its computed arrears for verification, deliberately attempting to prolong the achievement of the MoU beyond the stipulated time frame.
“Another recent ploy by the University Administration, as noted by the Congress, is the deliberate denial of its members’ salaries. The Congress resolved to remain undeterred by the ploy and shall steadfastly pursue the implementation of the MoU to a logical conclusion,” ASUU said.
The Union condemns any non-implementation of the MoU and calls for the intervention of Governor Mohammed to monitor its implementation and “compel the University Administration to work towards achieving the MoU within the time frame.”
ASUU added, “The Congress deeply appreciated the governor for the fatherly intervention that resolved all the issues contained in the Union’s demands at a single sitting.”
Recall that Governor Mohammed had earlier set up a high-powered Visitation Panel to the University to resolve many issues of present and future concern affecting the University.
When contacted, Spokesperson of Sa’adu Zungur University, Auwal Hassan, requested this reporter to send him a copy of the communique before he could respond. This reporter sent him the communique on WhatsApp, but Hassan failed to respond as at press time.
