ASUU flays violation of laws on varsities administration

• Akwa Ibom NYSC loses female corps member

The Calabar Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday declared that arbitrariness, impunity abuse of power and privileges, are some of the factors that led to the violation of laws on the financial management in Nigerian universities.

Coordinator of ASUU in the zone, Dr. Aniekan Brown, alongside seven others from institutions within the zone made the assertion in a statement yesterday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

“The autocratic and thoughtless postponement of the 51st Convocation ceremony of the University of Lagos by its Pro-Chancellor, which has resulted in wastage of scare resources, offers an example of the trend.

“ASUU strongly appeals to the Federal Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding reckless use of power and punish those culpable accordingly in the interest of the nation and its education sector,” he said.

On Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), he noted that ASUU had repeatedly pointed to the Federal Government that the template for IPPIS, as it is, was not in tandem with the peculiarities of the nation’s universities.

Accompanied by the chairmen of the seven universities making up the Calabar Zone, Brown explained that ASUU had produced an alternative template, called the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) that would be free of fraud and corruption.

“If there is any fight the union has engaged itself over the decades, it is the fight against corruption. But the point is coming with a smokescreen that they are fighting corruption when the idea is corruption compliant and it behooves us to say it is wrong.

“Issues of fraud must be dealt with, but when you fly an anti-corruption kite this way and at the same time taking corruption to the worst level where people have never been processed through appointment procedure and then their names just appear, how will you deal with personnel management within the university system?

“That is why we want to crave the indulgence of Nigerians to understand the perspective from which the union is taking this fight,” he added.

Meanwhile, a female member of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) deployed to Akwa Ibom State, Queen Eziuche, has died at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Ikot Itie Udung, Nsit Antai Council Area of the state.

The deceased, who was a Batch B corps member reportedly died in her sleep after the normal morning exercise.

NYSC Coordinator in the state, Julius Amusan, who confirmed her death while speaking with newsmen yesterday, said she died from a suspected terminal disease.

Governor Udom Emmanuel has described as unfortunate the untimely demise of the corps member.

In a condolence message to the deceased family and Director General of the scheme, he expressed shock over the sudden death of Mrs. Queen Eziuche, describing the loss as devastating and painful.