84 lecturers died in three months waiting for unpaid salaries – ASUU

84 lecturers died in three months waiting for unpaid salaries – ASUU

Eighty-four university lecturers have lost their lives owing to the refusal of the the Federal Government to pay their salaries, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said.

ASUU disclosed that the deceased lecturers died between May and August 2024 amid the worsening economic hardship in the country.

The President of the union, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, made this known on Channels Television’s socio-political programme ‘Inside Sources’ with Laolu Akande.

He said, “In the past three months, from May to August (2024), Nigerian universities lost 84 academics to death. In three months, because of what our people are going through.

“Despite this crisis, you are holding somebody’s three-and-half or more salaries on the no-work, no-pay, you are owing this money. People are trying to survive, you introduced fuel increase, you introduced electricity increase, and everything is gone now.”

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The President of the ASUU demanded more funding for university education in Nigeria, noting that the sector can only function optimally if lecturers are incentivized and motivated.

He revealed that he earns N420,000 per month despite being a professor for 15 years.

According to him, Nigerian lecturers can’t compete globally if they are paid poorly.

Recall that on September 25, 2024, ASUU issued the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to resolve several lingering issues including the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement as well as the release of withheld salaries due to the 2022 industrial action.

In 2022, academic and non-academic unions in Nigeria embarked on an eight-month strike to press home some of their demands including a better welfare package.

The administration of then President Muhammadu Buhari subsequently invoked a ‘no work, no pay policy’ against the unions but President Bola Tinubu, in October 2023, approved the release of four of the about eight months withheld salaries.

84 lecturers died in three months waiting for unpaid salaries – ASUU