ASUU rejects ABSU lecturer’s suspension, vows to sustain strike

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By Ugochukwu Alaribe

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Abia State University, ABSU, Uturu Branch, has rejected the suspension of one of its members, Professor Nnamdi Nwaeze, describing the action as unacceptable and vowing to sustain its ongoing indefinite strike until the suspended academic is recalled.

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The union commenced an indefinite strike action on Tuesday, August 11, over unpaid salaries.

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The next day, the management of the university suspended Professor Nwaeze, a lecturer in the Department of Economics, over what it described as his social media posts which are inimical to the interest of the university and its visitor, Governor Alex Otti.

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Reacting to the ongoing strike action and the suspension of the lecturer, Chairman ASUU-ABSU, Dr. Chidi Mbah, explained that the union had made its position clear during a meeting with the university management.

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Mbah said if the university had any justification for suspending the lecturer, it ought to have followed the procedures stipulated in the university’s edict.

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He said, “For us in ASUU, we did not see anything wrong with what Prof Nwaeze did. Allegations of previous wrongdoing against the lecturer were neither presented to the union nor known to it; any alleged offences should have been addressed when they occurred.”

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Mbah also confirmed the claims made by Nwaeze in the social media post concerning lecturers’ salaries and welfare, stressing that ABSU lecturers were still being paid under the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government salary structure.

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According to him, promoted lecturers are not placed on the appropriate salary scales, while staff members receive only half of their salaries.

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He further alleged that N473 million deducted from workers’ cooperative funds had not been remitted, noting that although the issue originated under a previous administration, the current government was expected to resolve it because government is a continuum.

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“Salary arrears affect large number of lecturers, with some owed between two and three months and others as much as 44 months.

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“About 557 lecturers, excluding those employed this year, were affected, with some owed 17, 30 and 35 months’ salaries.

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“It is not just one person, or 20, or 30. They are many,” he said.

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Mbah stressed that the strike began before Nwaeze made his social media post on Wednesday morning and that the professor was suspended later that same day.

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He said the national leadership of ASUU subsequently directed the chapter to resist the suspension, insisting that the strike would not be suspended until Nwaeze was reinstated, even if all other demands were met.

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The ASUU chairman further expressed concern that Nwaeze’s suspension could intimidate other lecturers from speaking publicly about salary and welfare challenges.

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“The suspension is a serious threat, and we must resist it. As ASUU, we will not accept anything that undermines our freedom or the autonomy of the university. Agreements were reached during several meetings but were not implemented,” he said.

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