The Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, (ASUU), has called on the federal government to protect and respect academic freedom, provide adequate funding, and improve the working conditions of public university workers across the country.
ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Professor Abubakar Sabo, made the call while briefing Journalists in Sokoto state.
Professor Sabo noted that the current economic hardships occasioned by the unpopular policies of government at all levels have made the teaching and learning environment unconducive and unbearable.
He said government through some visitors of some state universities, with some vice Chancellors of some federal universities in connivance with their governing councils have resorted to victimisation and assault their members.
“The typical instance of such tyrannical assault on academic freedom and scholarship include the unjust dismissal of no fewer than 120 academics by management/council of kogi state University Anyigba on August 14, 2017.
“Termination of appointments and denial of promotion as well as withholding of salaries and non-remittance of third party deductions of our members at Lagos State University, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, the Ebonyi state University, federal University of Technology, owerri among others,” he said.
He said the zone ASUU condemned such deplorable acts and seeks for immediate action to avoid turning University system in to avoidable chaos.
Sabo further urged the concerned universities to thread the path of civility and global best practice by treating University academics with the decorum they deserve.
The Zonal Coordinator however, reminded the federal government to stop its anti-interllectual posture forthwith and treat public universities with dignity and respect by fulfilling what it agreed with the union.
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