The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the Yusuf Maitama Sule University in Kano (YUMSUK) has expressed concern over the decayed infrastructure in the university.

The ASUU chairman in the university, Dr Mansur Sa’id, stated this at a press conference in Kano on Friday, June 21, 2024.

He decried the inability of the state governments to address lingering issues bedevilling the development of the university education system.

Sa’id condemned the underfunding and the dissolution of the Governing Councils of the two state-owned universities, adding that the state government released only 30.3 per cent and 46.2 per cent of the 2023 estimate for the Kano University of Technology (KUST) and YUMSUK, respectively.

The ASUU leader said: “ASUU-YUMSUK, therefore, calls on both the Federal and Kano State Governments to adequately fund the universities to save them from imminent collapse.

“We also call on all patriots in the media, civil society, labour movements and student groups to support our altruistic struggle to reposition the Nigerian public universities.

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“The union condemns the government’s antics as they continue to fail in fulfilling the promises they took with a view to addressing the issues in contention, leading to erosion of trust, displeasure and scepticism.”

The union, Sa’id said, urged the federal government to expedite action to facilitate renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, and resume payment of salary arrears and academic allowances to ASUU members.

The chairman said ASUU was also concerned about the insecurity, poverty, and rising cost of living in the country.

“We call on President Bola Tinubu, Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf, and all relevant stakeholders to work towards reconstituting the committee with a view towards reviewing, signing and implementing the Nimi Briggs-led renegotiated draft agreement,” he added.

On his part, the ASUU Chairman in KUST, Dr Aliyu Ahmad, urged Nigerians to intervene towards addressing the impasse and avoid a strike by the union.

“Government’s action to ignore ASUU on the contending issues confirmed the fact that they were not moved by the several clarion calls and efforts the union has made to get it attended,” he said.

While dismissing the dissolution or absence of Governing Councils in some federal and state universities, Ahmad urged Nigerians to support the union in its campaign to reinvigorate university education in the country.

The Star