ASUU kicks as Nigerian Government sacks contract lecturers

The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Friday said the “forced enrolment of university lecturers” in the Integrated Payment and Personnel Information System platform by the Federal Government has resulted in the sacking of contract scholars across higher institutions.

ASUU cited the Bayero University, Kano State, and the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State, where the disengagement of contract lecturers had already been carried out.

It warned that such moves undermined the university autonomy to recruit competent local and foreign scholars, as was the global practice.

The ASUU National President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, stated these in an interview with Punch correspondent, adding that lecturers at the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, and the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, had yet to receive their February and March salaries.

But reacting to ASUU’s comments, the Federal Ministry of Education said some universities were fraudulent in their employment of contract staff, noting that the government needed to reduce the huge personnel costs that burdened universities.

– Punch