The Nigerian Government has been criticised by the University of Ilorin branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for the delayed payment of the remaining three and a half months of salaries owed to university staff.
During a press conference in Ilorin on Tuesday, the Unilorin branch chairman of the union, Alex Akanmu, expressed disappointment over the issue.
The union also voiced its disapproval of the Nigerian Government appointing elderly Nigerians to serve as members of governing councils in tertiary institutions.
Akanmu emphasised the union’s position that it is unacceptable for octogenarians to be responsible for driving the development agenda of the 21st century.
“Go and see the compositions of the people appointed across the governing council of our tertiary institutions; you are looking at people that are old. As academics, our concern is this: we are looking at octogenarians to drive a 21st-century development agenda; can they do it.? No! That’s the barbaric and unacceptable level to which this government has taken the country,” he said.
The Unilorin ASUU leader also pointed out that the postponement in receiving their rightful compensation reflects efforts to obstruct the hard work and loyalty of the teaching staff who have consistently carried out their duties to students and the wider academic community.
He stated that they firmly believe in the just request for the release of their unpaid salaries and denounce what he described as the oppressive stance of the government.
Akanmu also said, “It is twenty months and few days of resumption from the 2022 industrial action with no positive development from the government on our demands of payment of outstanding Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) despite being captured in the 2023 Budget and or mainstreaming to our salaries with effect from 2022.
“The payment of our EAA till date remains a mirage while the government has acted unconcerned in the face of a stringent economic situation.”