On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, lecturers at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, held a peaceful protest against the Federal Government, highlighting their dissatisfaction with neglected welfare, withheld salary arrears, and the lack of implementation of the Nimi Briggs Committee Report on the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement.
Led by ASUU-NAU chairperson Prof. Kingsley Ubaoji and ASUU Owerri Zone Coordinator Prof. Dennis Aribodor, the lecturers listed grievances including the need for funding to revitalize public universities, payment of withheld salaries and Earned Academic Allowances, and the implementation of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) instead of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Prof. Ubaoji emphasized the need to review academic salaries and allowances, noting that it has been fourteen years since their last review. He criticized the government’s dismissive approach, calling for immediate and concrete actions to resolve these issues.
Prof. Ubaoji said that the brightest students are increasingly turning away from the teaching profession due to poor remuneration for lecturers and wondered who would teach the upcoming generation when they retire .
The union has urged the government to complete renegotiations based on the Nimi Briggs Committee resolutions and to take decisive action to address these critical issues.
