No fewer than 15 indigent students of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, who excelled in their academic pursuits have benefited from N1.7 Million lifeline of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, UniUyo Branch.
The union also conferred heroes’ awards on its past leaders who led the union through turbulent periods in the history of the branch.
The awardees were honoured during the Heroes’ Day Celebration held at the 1000 seater TETFund Auditorium, University of Uyo Main Campus along Nwaniba road, Uyo Akwa Ibom State on Monday
Speaking during the event, National President of the Union Professor Emmanuel Osadeke commended the awardees for their steadfastness and selfless service to the union despite the difficulties they faced and urged them to remain committed to the course.
The ASUU president urged past and present leaders of the union to rise against the alleged injustice by Vice chancellors of Universities who have turned staff employment into their constituency projects’ by employing all manners of people without due process into the University system.
He noted that no University in the country has advertised for vacancies in the past six to ten years but that staff strength has tripled in such Universities, adding that those appointed have nothing to do in the academic world.
“I must heartily congratulate all the heroes honoured today for the sacrifices they made to the point of termination of appointments, seizure of salaries, demotion among other travails for speaking truth to powers for the benefit of others.
“Before now, University employment was done through advertisement followed by rigorous interviews but now how do people get here? It is through temporary appointments. That’s the problem that we have today. I do not know of any University for the past six to ten years that has advertised, but the staff strength has tripled.
“Vice-Chancellors just sat down somewhere and packed people from Traditional Rulers, Governors, and all other politicians into the Nigerian Universities as lecturers and most of them are now scavengers in the system, going after money and all manners of things.
“Unfortunately, University employment has turned into a constituency project and we have to struggle to reverse this misnomer and bring sanity to the system,” he said.
In his keynote address a retired Professor of Ethnocomunicology, Professor Desmond Wilson, lamented that the struggles of the Union have been made difficult by fifth columnists and other agents employed by the government to cause confusion.
While stressing that heroism was not a blank cheque to misbehavior, the professor urged all members of the union to remain selfless and committed in the fight for the betterment of all and the redemption of Nigerian Universities from its quagmires.
In his remarks, the vice-chancellor of the University, professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo who was represented by Professor Ben Etuk, commended ASUU for its selfless service to humanity
He noted that role played by the union has contributed immensely to the better welfare of the University staff.
Responding, one of the beneficiaries of the ASUU-UUB scholarship award, Mr. Ekpo Friday of the Faculty of Education commended the union for the idea of bringing succour to the indigent students of the institution, adding that the gesture was a morale booster for them to concentrate on their studies to finish their University Education with good grades.
In his remarks, acting chairperson, professor Opeyemi Olajide noted that the gesture was to help push the students who were also noted to be brilliant in their respective faculties to finish their course of study
Those honoured for their selfless service include Dr Etop Ndiyo, Professor Desmond Wilson, professor Edet Akpan and Professor Joseph Ushie. Others include Professor Aniesua Essiet and Professor Ashong Ashong.
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