Save Maitama Sule varsity from imminent collapse, ASUU tells Kano

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

NAN reports that at a press conference on Friday, Mansur Sa’id, the varsity’s ASUU chairman, lamented the “inability” of state governments to address lingering issues bedeviling the development of the university education system.

Sa’id also condemned the dissolution of the governing councils of the Kano University of Technology (KUST) and YUMSUK, the two state-owned universities.

He called on the government to save the varsities from “imminent collapse” by providing adequate funds.

“ASUU-YUMSUK, therefore, calls on both the federal and the Kano state government to adequately fund the universities to save them from imminent collapse,” he said.

“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.

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

He said the union is urging the federal government to facilitate renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement and resume payment of salary arrears and academic allowances to its members.

The chairman said the union is also concerned about insecurity, poverty, and rising cost of living in Nigeria.

On his part, Aliyu Ahmad, the chairman of ASUU at KUST, urged notable personalities to intervene in addressing the situation to avoid a strike by its members.

“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.

Ahmad urged Nigerians to support the union in its campaign to reinvigorate the university education in the country.

In November last year, ASUU YUMSUK condemned what it considered a “neglect of the institution” by the state government.