By Ifeizu Joe
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Chapter on Tuesday embarked on a peaceful protest over poor salaries.
Leaders of the union in the university, including the ASUU NAU Chairperson, Innocent C. Nnubia and Zonal Coordinator of the union, Prof Dennis Aribodor and thousands of lecturers marched through major roads in the university, wielding placards with various inscriptions.
The protesters marched from the ASUU secretariat through to the Enugu-Onitsha and ended at the administrative blocks of the university, where they demanded audience with the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Carol Arinze-Umobi.
The ASUU NAU chairperson who led the protest while addressing the representative of the Vice Chancellor, Prof Pius Okoye chronicles the demands of the union.
He said: “Three months ago at the national secretariat, ASUU held a press conference and specifically raised the following issues:Conclusion of the Re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, immediate payment of three and half months withheld salaries sustainable funding of our universities.
“Others are revitalization of public universities, victimization of our colleges in LASU, KSU (now Prince AbubakarAudu University) and FUTO, payment of outstanding 25-35% salary arrears, promotion arrears for over 4 year third party deductions.
“The government made promises to address these issues, but regrettably, we are here to inform the general public, through our dear compatriots in the press, that these issues are still lingering.
“We in ASUU, Nnamdi Azikiwe University branch, address this press conference to inform the government and the general public that time is running out and we should not be held responsible if there is a breakdown of industrial harmony in our campuses.”
The union said its members do not enjoy embarking on strike, but it remains the last option, and they will not hesitate to embark on one if government fails to yield to its demands.
