ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Abia State University, Uturu Branch, has rejected the suspension of one of its members, Professor Nnamdi Nwaeze, insisting that its ongoing indefinite strike will continue until the lecturer is reinstated.
The union began the strike on Tuesday, August 11, over alleged unpaid salaries and other welfare-related concerns.
However, the university management suspended Nwaeze, a lecturer in the Department of Economics, the following day over social media posts it said were detrimental to the interest of the institution and its visitor, Governor Alex Otti.
Speaking on the development, Chairman of ASUU-ABSU, Dr Chidi Mbah, said the union had rejected the suspension and made its position known to the university management.
Mbah argued that if the university had grounds to sanction Nwaeze, it should have followed the disciplinary procedures provided under the institution’s governing edict.
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“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,” he said.
The ASUU chairman also backed the claims contained in Nwaeze’s social media post regarding the salaries and welfare of lecturers at the university.
According to him, lecturers at ABSU are still being paid under the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government salary structure, while some promoted academics have not been moved to their appropriate salary levels.
He further alleged that workers were receiving only half of their salaries, while deductions from cooperative contributions had also not been remitted.
Mbah put the outstanding cooperative deductions at about N473 million, saying the issue, though inherited from a previous administration, should be addressed by the present government because “government is a continuum.”
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He said the salary arrears affecting lecturers varied significantly, with some owed between two and three months and others reportedly owed salaries spanning several years.
“About 557 lecturers, excluding those employed this year, were affected, with some owed 17, 30 and 35 months’ salaries,” he said.
Mbah stressed that the industrial action had commenced before Nwaeze made the social media post that triggered his suspension.
He explained that the strike started on August 11, while the lecturer made the disputed post on the morning of August 12 and was suspended later that day.
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According to him, the national leadership of ASUU subsequently directed the ABSU chapter to resist the suspension and ensure Nwaeze’s reinstatement.
He said the union would not call off the strike even if the university addressed its other demands, unless the suspended lecturer was recalled.
Mbah also warned that the suspension could create fear among other academics who might want to speak publicly about salary arrears and welfare issues.
“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.