The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Yusuf Maitama Sule University (YUMSU) Kano branch, has chided Kano State government for suffocating academic progression by persistently neglecting its primary responsibility in the institution.
Essentially, the academic union faulted automatic deduction of 25 per cent of the varsity’s Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR), failure to settle balances of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) and the consequential adjustment arrears of its members.
Chairman, ASUU YUMSU branch, Surajo Sulaiman, who spoke at a media briefing, yesterday, lamented denial of university autonomy and academic freedom, calling the state government to do the needful to avoid industrial disharmony.
Sulaiman, who called for urgent reconstitution of the governing council of the institution, said that the absence of the council is undermining the university’s administration.
He also said that funding remains one of the major challenges being faced by the university since inception as budgetary appropriations for capital projects had never been fully released.
He, therefore, implored the Visitor to improve on the university’s funding.
He said: “We are suffering from suffocation of academics, persistent neglect and the continuous struggle to salvage the state-owned university from decay.
“Consequent upon the branch’s series of submissions to the state government on its members’ demands and strategic denial of its request for audience with the Visitor, the branch resolves to engage the media and the entire public with a view to informing them of a looming crisis.
“This release focused mainly on the three central issues in ASUU struggle, including improving the condition of service of its members, revitalising and accelerating the development of the university through sustainable funding, enhancing and protecting the university autonomy and academic freedom.
“The branch equally demands immediate payment of the balances of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) and the consequential adjustment arrears. It also requests for immediate domestication of (i) newly-approved Consolidated Universities Academic Salary Structure II award by the Federal Government effective from January 1, 2023 and payment of arrears and (ii) N35,000 provisional wage award approved by the Federal Government.
“ASUU requests the government to expedite action towards completion of ongoing projects by the state government, supplement TETFund funding for academic members of staff training and consider immediate stoppage of automatic deduction of 25 per cent from the university Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR). It is worth noting that registration fees are ‘service fees.
“ASUU YUMSUK is therefore calling on the Visitor to the university to, in the interest of industrial harmony, intensify efforts towards resolving the brewing issues.”
