SSANU asks goverment to protect whistleblowers in varsities

• Kick against sack of members in UniAbuja
• Rivers students laud FG’s initiative

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has stated the need for the Federal Government to protect whistleblowers in Nigerian universities.

In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja yesterday, SSANU also urged him to set up a panel to probe the finances, employments and other aspects of administration in the university system.

SSANU, in the letter sent through the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said the lives of its members who expose corrupt practices amongst varsity administrators are threatened, while some have been sacked from work.

SSANU said two of its members who levelled allegation of corruption against authorities of the University of Abuja have been sacked without due process.

The letter signed by the association’s National President, Samson Ugwoke and the National Public Relations Officer, Abdussorbur Salaam, accused three universities of corrupt practices.

The association yesterday staged a peaceful rally at the University of Abuja, where they called for the immediate reinstatement of its branch Chairman, Jude Nwabueze and the Secretary, Nurudeen Yusuf, who were recently disengaged by the governing council of the institution for reporting the authorities to the anti-graft agency.

SSANU urged the President to reverse all punitive actions against whistleblowers such as demotions, denial of annual increments and promotions, withholding of salaries among others.

Meanwhile, students in Rivers State have commended the whistleblowing initiative of the Federal Government. They said it would boost the fight against corruption.

The students from the four universities in Rivers under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Committee, Rivers chapter expressed this view yesterday in Port Harcourt during a leadership meeting.

A communiqué jointly signed by the Chairman, Council of Students Union Government Presidents in Rivers, Orji Kenneth, the Secretary and SUG President, Ignatius Ajuru University, Wondikom Obinali, during the joint stakeholders’ meeting at the University of Port Harcourt, stated that students in Rivers State support and appreciate the anti-corruption crusade of President Buhari and the whistleblowing initiative.

They urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies handling corruption cases to swiftly prosecute those indicted.