ASUU Loses 46 Professors To Economic Hardship

Economic hardship may be dealing harsher blows than some people think going by ASUU – acronym for the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

Indications from the union are that it has claimed 46 professors in the nation’s education system over a relatively short period of time.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Abuja zone, which stated this today said, has linked such deaths to poor remuneration of academics and unfavourable working conditions generally

It said no fewer than 46 of its members have met their untimely deaths due to hardship, with the casualties being recorded at the University of Abuja, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State University, Nasarawa, and the Ibrahim Babaginda University, Lapai.

Names mentioned included that of an eminent Professor of Fisheries, Johnson Oyero, of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, due to the inability to afford quality medical facilities.

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The zonal coordinator, ASUU, Abuja zone, Salahu Muhammed made this known in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja.

 “In the last decade, more Nigerian academics are leaving the country in droves in search of greener pastures, thereby overworking the patriotic ones that remain in the system whose level of patriotism is dwindling on a daily basis due to poor remuneration and working conditions.

“It is also worthy of note that the union has lost several members during the period under review due to herculean working conditions, psychological and emotional stress, and diseases related to these conditions. For instance, universities in the Abuja zone have lost 46 members.

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“In fact, just two days back, the union lost an eminent Professor of Fisheries, Johnson Oyero of the Federal University of Technology, Minna due to inability to afford quality medical facility.”

The ASUU leader said its union was worried by the failure of the Tinubu-led administration to honour some of the commitments it made with the union in a bid to avert potential industrial actions in universities.