ASUU Rejects Lecturer's Suspension, Vows to Sustain Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Abia State University (ABSU) has declared Professor Nnamdi Nwaeze's suspension unacceptable, vowing to prolong its ongoing indefinite strike until the lecturer is reinstated. The strike, which commenced on Tuesday, August 11, was initially called over unpaid salaries.

The university management suspended Professor Nwaeze, an Economics lecturer, the following day, citing social media posts deemed detrimental to the university and its visitor, Governor Alex Otti. However, ASUU-ABSU Chairman Dr. Chidi Mbah argued that the union saw no issue with Nwaeze's actions and that any alleged offenses should have been addressed according to university procedures.

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For us in ASUU, we did not see anything wrong with what Prof Nwaeze did. Allegations of previous wrongdoing against the lecturer were neither presented to the union nor known to it; any alleged offences should have been addressed when they occurred.

Mbah confirmed Nwaeze's claims regarding lecturers' salaries and welfare, stating that ABSU lecturers are still paid under a 2009 salary structure. He highlighted that promoted lecturers are not placed on correct salary scales, and staff receive only half their salaries. Furthermore, he alleged that N473 million deducted from workers' cooperative funds remains unremitted, a situation expected to be resolved by the current administration as a matter of continuity.

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Salary arrears affect large number of lecturers, with some owed between two and three months and others as much as 44 months.

According to Mbah, salary arrears affect a significant number of lecturers, with some owed between two and 44 months. He noted that approximately 557 lecturers are impacted by these arrears. Mbah emphasized that the strike began before Nwaeze's social media post and that the professor was suspended the same day. The national ASUU leadership has directed the chapter to resist the suspension, insisting the strike will not end until Nwaeze is reinstated, regardless of other demands being met.

The ASUU chairman also expressed concern that Nwaeze's suspension could intimidate other lecturers from speaking out about salary and welfare challenges, calling it a serious threat that must be resisted to protect freedom and university autonomy.

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The suspension is a serious threat, and we must resist it. As ASUU, we will not accept anything that undermines our freedom or the autonomy of the university.