ASUU has revealed that over 30 of its members (lecturers) died as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has disclosed that no fewer than 30 of its members lost their lives to Covid-19-related complications.
The President of the body, Biodun Ogunyemi made the disclosure in his valedictory speech at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, during the 21st ASUU National Delegates Conference themed, “State Terrorism and Nigeria’s Development.”
He regretted that many of the victims had battled the attack with resources from colleagues and other people of goodwill following the deliberate starvation of their salaries from concerned authorities.
He said:
“We must place on record that Covid-19 did not spare our campuses. Many of our infected members had had to combat the COVID attack with resources from colleagues and other people of goodwill.
“This is because their salaries and emoluments, as well as the union’s check off deductions, were either withheld by the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation over the rejection of the discredited Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information Systems, IPPIS.
“Our other comrades suffered the same fate in the hands of overzealous State University Vice Chancellors and visitors. As a matter of fact, we lost at least 30 comrades, including past branch officers, to COVID-related complications in the process.
“As we’ve consistently demanded, state and federal governments in Nigeria must learn from our avoidable losses from the COVID-19 crisis to bring about the much-needed turnaround in our health and education sectors.
“in the last three years, ASUU has enjoyed tremendous goodwill from quarters too numerous to mention.
“Despite being a government official, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund has never denied his training in ASUU and the role played by the union in midwifing the intervention agency.
“The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission is also another rare breed who projects his clear understanding of ASUU’s mission at every meeting with the government. May their race multiply!
“We equally appreciate the intervention efforts of the Hon. Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu as well as his Labour and Employment counterpart, Sen (Dr) Chris Ngige when it mattered.”
