ASUU-Calabar Zone Says Nigerian Academics Worst Paid in the World, Decries Unfulfilled Promises by Successive Administrations

Judex OKORO

The Academic Staff Union of Universities Calabar Zone (ASUU-Calabar Zone) has restated that Nigerian academics are the worst paid in the world as a professor at bar earns less than $300 per month.

The Union decried the unfulfilled promises of former President Buhari's administration to the present Tinubu-led administration, which it said stems from insensitivity and total neglect of staff welfare.

The Union called on the Nigerian public to provide alternatives to strikes in the nations public universities.

The Union further insisted on the immediate and urgent commencement of processes that would lead to the completion and implementation of the draft agreement reached by the joint committee as lead by the late Emeritus Professor Nimi Briggs as her members have been on the same salary scale for more then fifteen years, the last agreement being the 2009 ASUU- FGN agreement.

The position of the Calabar Zone of ASUU was signed by the Zonal Chairperson Happiness Uduk, Comrade Chidi Mbah (Chairperson ABSU), Comrade Inyang Udosen (Chairperson AKSU), Comrade Ikechukwu Igwenyi (Chairperson EBSU), Comrade Louis Omenyi (Chairperson FUNAI), Comrade Patrick Ushie (Chairperson CRUTECH), Comrade Peter Uni ( Chairperson UNICAL) and Comrade Opeyemi Olajide (Chairperson UNIUYO).

Speaking on behalf of the union at a press parly at the Eskor Toyo Secretariat of the union in the University of Calabar on Monday, the ASUU Calabar Zonal Chairperson, Happiness Uduk, regretted that several appeals made to the government to honour its agreement has failed.

The Union also disclosed that "Nigerian academics are the worst paid in the world as a professor at bar earns less than $300 per month, and when the draft agreement was put up, the value of the naira to the dollar was 120 but today is 1,500 per Dollar."

According to her, "we have given notice to members of the public including parents, who often blames ASUU for always relying on strikes, to now proffer their alternatives to strikes in the face of the situation we have presented here today.

"ASUU will be ready in the interest of the Nigerian university system to accept any option that will bring lasting solutions to all the issues raised here without necessarily relying on strikes.

"This is because the union on its own part has utilized every conceivable alternative to strike including seeking audience with the president of the country but all without any breakthrough.

"If the Nigerian public fails to provide the union viable alternatives to strikes, industrial harmony in the nations public University may be jeopardized", the Zonal Chairperson stated.

The Union decried the unfulfilled promises of former President Buhari's administration to the present Tinubu administration which it said stems from insensitivity and total neglect of staff welfare.

This, the Union said, has led to unwarranted deaths of seasoned academics, massive exodus of our best brains to the "Japa Syndrome" and their inability to maximally its responsibilities to their families and students. End