84 of our members died because of economic hardship, unpaid salaries – ASUU laments
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has lamented the alarming deaths of 84 of its members in just three months, attributing the tragic losses to escalating economic hardship and unpaid salaries.
In an interview on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, ASUU President Emmanuel Osodeke, revealed the staggering statistic, stating, “In the past three months, from May to August 2024, Nigerian universities lost 84 academics to death. This is a reflection of the dire circumstances our members are enduring.”
Osodeke criticised the government for its failure to release withheld salaries, highlighting the burdens placed on educators.
‘Despite this crisis, the government continues to hold back three-and-a-half months or more of our members’ salaries under the ‘no-work, no-pay policy’. People are struggling to survive amid rising fuel and electricity costs,” he lamented.
He called for increased funding for the education sector, stressing that lecturers need adequate motivation for universities to operate effectively.
Osodeke, a professor for 15 years, noted that he earns only N420,000 monthly, underscoring the need for better compensation to enable Nigerian lecturers to compete on a global scale.
On 25th of September, ASUU issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding action on several critical issues, including the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and the payment of withheld salaries stemming from the 2022 strike.
In 2022, academic and non-academic unions went on eight-month strike, leading to the implementation of the no-work, no-pay policy. Although President Bola Tinubu approved the release of four months’ salaries in October 2023, ASUU insists that all eight months of withheld wages must be compensated.
While ASUU members received four months of owed salaries, other unions such as SSANU and NASU are still waiting for their payments. The government is reportedly considering a half-pay solution for non-academic unions, according to Education Minister Tahir Mamman.
Osodeke firmly argued that the partial payment is not a gesture of goodwill, asserting that lecturers rightfully deserve full compensation for the entirety of the strike period.
Proofreading and Editing by Gift Luckson and Hafsat Aleeyu Muye, Editor at Neptune Prime
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