The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, has staged a protest, rejecting the Federal Government’s loan, warning of an imminent strike.

The lecturers, who marched from the campus premises to the school gate, emerged from a congress chanting union songs and carrying placards with inscriptions such as: “Conclude the Renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement by Signing It,” “Release Our Withheld 3½ Months Salaries,” “Release the 12 Months Arrears of 25/35 Percent Pay Increase,” and “Lecturers Need Improved Pay, Not ‘Poison Chalice’ Loans.”

Other placards read: “We Reject the Ploy to Conscript ASUU as Guarantor of TISSF Loan,” “We Demand Sustainable Funding for Public Universities,” “Stop Victimisation of Our Colleagues in LASU, KSU and FUTO,” and “Pay Our Promotion Arrears of Over 4 Years.”

The protest created anxiety among students preparing for examinations, as many trooped out of lecture halls and peeped through windows to watch their lecturers singing “Solidarity Forever.”

Some expressed fears that the demonstration might escalate into another prolonged strike, disrupting the academic calendar.

Addressing journalists, the ASUU-ATBU Branch Chairman, Dr. Angulu Haruna, said the protest was aimed at drawing attention to what he described as the Federal Government’s insensitivity to the welfare of lecturers and the future of public universities.

“As academics, we are committed to the future careers of our students and will not do anything to jeopardise their academic pursuits. But the government has failed to cooperate with us despite repeated calls for dialogue and action,” he said.

Haruna insisted that the government must honour agreements and implement policies that would guarantee sustainable funding and improved welfare for lecturers to prevent another nationwide strike.