The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abuja zone, has disclosed the death of some of its members was due to economic hardship alongside poor remuneration of academics and unfavourable working conditions.

The first zonal coordinator of ASUU, Abuja zone, Salahu Muhammed, made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Monday, February 19, 2024.

Muhammed said no fewer than 46 lecturers lost their lives in universities under the Abuja zone.

They are the University of Abuja; Federal University of Technology, Minna; Federal University, Lafia; Nasarawa State University; and the Ibrahim Babangida University, Lapai in Niger State.

He said the union recently lost an eminent Professor of Fisheries, Johnson Oyero, of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, due to the inability to afford quality medical facilities.

The ASUU coordinator said: “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 daily due to poor remuneration and working conditions.

FG begins payment of lecturers’ withheld salaries

“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.”

Muhammed further decried the payment of two-month salaries by the Federal Government out of the seven-and-a-half month withheld salaries to their members.

Also speaking, the second ASUU Abuja zonal coordinator, Salahu Lawal, said the salaries were withheld when the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari invoked a ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy on members of the union that embarked on a strike that lasted eight months in 2022.

Lawal said despite the order by President Bola Tinubu for the release and payment of their withheld salaries, some members have reportedly received two-month salaries of the seven-and-a-half-month withheld salaries, while many were yet to get anything.

He said: “This is far below the expectation of the union and further weakens the morale of our members and the union’s trust in government promises.

“We use this medium to call on all that are involved in this inglorious act to do the needful with regards to lecturers’ withheld salaries as there is nothing more to prove.”

The Star