The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja has lamented what it described as an “onslaught of academic activities,” in the last five years of the Institution.
Speaking with journalists at the end of its congress in Abuja, the Chairman of the ASUU branch, Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh said the activities in the University were highlighted by missed opportunities and controversial decisions during the time.
The Union specifically, celebrated the exit of the former vice chancellor, Prof. Professor Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, expressing hope of a new beginning with the new management team.
This is just as it vowed to continue with strike until their demands are met, calling on the government to intervene in the crisis.
Ugoh said; “We are just celebrating the exit of the vice Chancellor that destroyed this university in the last five years. It is a case of desecrating chambers of the Ivory towers.
“In the last five years, University of Abuja experienced onslaught of academic activities. It was really a set back but the good news is that the tenure has ended and so what we are celebrating is to tell the world that we regret having him as the vice Chancellor.
“Before he came to this university, university of Abuja was in the ninth position but today university of Abuja is in the 27th position, it was a total failure.”
On the issue of strike he said; “We didn’t strike because of the vice Chancellor, the strike was led by the five issues that were illegalities. So, as soon as these illegalities are corrected we will suspend the strike.
“The person overseeing the office of the vice Chancellor Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi has been part of the player. He knows all the issues so the union is waiting for any day we are invited to interface with the University.
“The issues in contention are issues that could be handled in one day for any person that is willing to solve them. So, I don’t think the are issues that ordinarily could have lasted for more than two weeks.
“But right now the strike is in and we are still on our comprehensive, total and indefinite strike,” the ASUU chairman stated.
LEADERSHIP report that the Union, on May 2, 2024 embarked on indefinite strike in protest against issues such as violation of its established laws, including appointments and promotions of members of staff in the absence of a governing council, amongst others.
He further said another issue discussed in the congress was to mobilise its people for a national strike, pending the directive of the national.
Also speaking, the former chairman of the ASUU branch, Dr. Kassim Umaru urged the Federal Government to intervene and save the University of Abuja, while lamenting the policies of the past leadership
“It is our prayer for even our enemy to not witness what we have witnessed under Prof. Na’Allah because he is a kind of vice Chancellor that knows it all and many times we have visited him, national had visited him, zonal visitation, everybody have visited him and at the end of the day he turned everything down. But it is our hope that the overseer of the University who is Prof Maikudi will reason with the needful so that peace will return in this place
…Development Soared Under Na’Allah – Spokesperson
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the University of Abuja, Dr. Habib Yakoob, has said the former Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah was well celebrated by the entire university community, at the tail end of his tenure.
He said the community felt they would miss an era that saw the rapid development of the University in all facets of life.
According to him, “The acting vice chancellor of the University now,Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi, was part of the administration of Na’Allah, being the deputy vice chancellor academic.
“We hope that the ASUU will give her the support that the University management had been asking from them for quite some time now,” he said.