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Kebbi varsity ASUU members cry out over low wages, allowances, insecurity

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By El-Yakub Dabai, Birnin Kebbi

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero branch, has called on the concerned authorities to address the problems of low wages, non implementation of allowances and security breaches in the institution to avert avoidable industrial crisis in the near future.

The Branch Chairman, Dr. Abubakar Umar Birnin Yauri, gave the warning in Birnin Kebbi, while addressing a press conference.

Reading from a text jointly signed by him and the branch Secretary, Dr. Gado Abubakar, the Chairman solicited the intervention of labour activists, traditional institutions, religious leaders, parents, students, traders, professional groups, civil society organisations and progressive members of the public to save education in Kebbi State from collapsing.

The ASUU chairman added that the union had held series of meetings and consultations with the University management, Governing Council, the state Ministry of Higher Education and prominent personalities including the academia to prevail on Kebbi State Government to address the lingering issues affecting the university to no avail.

“Staff of KSUSTA are yet to enjoy consequential salary adjustment being implemented since 2019 in all public service, both states and federal establishments including academic institutions. The heat generated by what one will call absolute neglect has become unbearable resulting to mass exodus of our members to other climes in search of greener pasture”, Dr. Birnin Yauri said.

He added by saying, “Additionally, the payment of interim ASUU – FG 35% and 25% salary increment for academic staff of Nigerian Universities, approved by former President Muhammadu Buhari, and the N35, 000 increment (wage award) for all Nigerian workers, effective October 2023 – March 2024, fully implemented by President Tinubu all were not implemented by the University”.

The ASUU Comrade further talked about non implementation or partial payment of annual salary increments since 2017 to date, non payment of Earn Academic Allowances, EAA, from 2014-2021 for 308 academic staff of the University and backlogs of unpaid promotion arrears from 2016 – 2023.

Dr. Birnin Yauri also appealed to the authorities concerned to evolve more strategies to protect lives and property of workers in the university to prevent the reduction of the workforce due to fear of insecurity.

“The recent episodes involving two senior academic staff of which one was kidnapped and an attempted assassination of the other created serious panic amongst the university community”, ASUU Chairman voiced out.

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