By Elom Iyke Ubochi
The Vice-Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi state, Professor Daniel Nwachukwu said he is in the university to work, and urged everyone to cooperate with him to deliver on his mandates.
The Vice-Chancellor gave the assurance when the executive of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), AE-FUNAI chapter paid him a courtesy call at the Vice-Chancellor’s conference room.
He noted that the university is lucky to have him as Vice-Chancellor as he is fully prepared to take the university to greater heights, adding that he has had over 27 unbroken years in the academia, and has equally occupied many important positions along the line.
The university helmsman thanked members of the ASUU for being the first university staff based union to meet with him, and pledged to support the union, adding that he was a member of ASUU Advisory Board at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, and thus commended the notable roles the union has played in repositioning the Nigerian University System.
“The changes we are witnessing in the University system today were all championed by ASUU”, he said.
He further promised to initiate a reward system where outstanding staff and students who distinguished themselves in research and innovation would be rewarded and celebrated to stem the tide of brain drain in the university, and to serve as a motivation to others to work hard.
He bemoaned the stress that academics are facing in the country, and commended those who are still in the country instead of searching for greener pastures abroad. On that note, Professor Nwachukwu extolled the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reaching an agreement with ASUU which led to the approval of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) for university lecturers, noting that he was happy that AE-FUNAI lecturers have already received their payments, unlike many other universities.
“The time for change is now, and we thank God that the government of the day is looking at that direction. I thank God that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is intervening to stop the brain drain syndrome bedeviling the Nigerian University System. The payments though not enough, yet it is a good way to start”
He therefore called for the support of ASUU and other members of staff to enhance the status of the university, even as he promised to improve the welfare of staff during his tenure.
Earlier, the AE-FUNAI Chapter Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), Dr. Louis Omenyi thanked the Vice-Chancellor for his immediate approval of the payment of CATA to members of ASUU in the university, noting that the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance was the product of their negotiation and agreement with the Federal Government.
He also notified the Vice-Chancellor of their forthcoming Sports fiesta and Health Week geared towards helping members of the union to keep fit and stay healthy, and thanked him for approving the one-week programme of activities devoid of lectures and other academic activities.
The Labour leader noted that the National Executive Committee of ASUU approved the sports fiesta and health week to curtail the high rate of mortality among lecturers due to stress.
“We have lost about 20 lecturers out of work stress. We are stressed because of high load of academic work. We will not joke with our health any longer”, he stated.
The ASUU chairman assured the Vice-Chancellor of the union’s support, saying “We will give you all our solidarity so long as the laws are maintained.”
