The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Sa’adu Zungur University, Bauchi Chapter, has insisted that no fewer than 30 PhD holders resigned from the institution over poor staff welfare and condition of service.
The union also vowed to make public names of the lecturers who resigned from the institution.
This was contained in a statement issued by the branch chairman, Awwal Hussain, on Saturday.
His statement was in reaction to a rejoinder by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Auwal Hassan, dismissing the claim of mass resignation from the institution by the union.
But in the counter statement, Mr Hussain faulted the university spokesman for downplaying the plight of the lecturers.
He said: “The rejoinder issued by the SAZU spokesman was unfortunate and misleading. It presented the issues raised by the union as inaccurate, which we view as mischievous and misleading.
“The most alarming part is the acknowledgement of only one deceased academic staff member. This is not only reckless but also an insult to the university’s entire academic community and the families of other deceased staff members.
“The union has a record of at least seven members of academic staff who have passed, yet the university acknowledges only one.
“By deliberately downplaying the deaths of the late Dr. Abdulqadir Musa Badara of Business Administration, the late Maryam Zangoma of Biochemistry, the late Mr. Godwin of Public Administration, the late Salim Abubakar of Business Administration, the late Nasiru Saidu of Business Administration, the late Mohammed Manu of Education, and the late Muhammad Garba Imam from Biological Sciences—who all died in active service to the university—sends a disheartening message to the current serving staff that their contributions may be shortly forgotten after their death.”
He added that this development could compel many ASUU members to reconsider their tenure at SAZU or join the over 30 academic staff who had already left the university or shifted their services to neighbouring institutions where they feel their contributions are more secure.
He noted that, “this inaccurate account of the deceased by the university further validates ASUU’s record of over 30 PhD holders who have left the institution.
“The university has only acknowledged six departures in less than two years, though this figure is still inaccurate. Nevertheless, how many more could you expect to have left in recent years?” he quizzed.
“It is pathetic how the university administration is debunking this fact, as if the resignation of at least one PhD holder, trained with state resources, is not enough to disturb a leader who has the university and the state at heart.
“One may argue that it is normal for lecturers to resign and accept appointments at other universities; however, it is pertinent to note that while academic staff are resigning from SAZU to secure permanent appointments in other universities, there is no record of any academic staff resigning elsewhere to take up a permanent position at SAZU.
“This points to the fact that the poor conditions of service in SAZU are the main reason why the PhD holders in question have left.”
(NAN)
