By MUHAMMAD NUR TIJANI

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kano Zone, has called on the Federal Government to expedite action on the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.

The Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Abdulkadir Muhammad made the call at a news briefing on Thursday in Kano.

He listed the issues of concern to include the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement; sustainable funding of public universities; victimization of ASUU members of LASU, and Prince Abubakar Audu University.

Others, he said, were non-payment of 25/35 per cent salary arrears; non-payment of promotion arrears for over four years; and refusal to remit third-party deductions.

Muhammad said the union was demanding the immediate signing and implementation of the report of the Yayale Ahmed-led Committee to avert a looming industrial crisis in public universities.

He said that the government?s refusal to review salaries and improve the working conditions of lecturers for over 16 years had pauperized, demoralized and demotivated lecturers across the country.

?The lecturers have run out of patience and evidently we cannot guarantee industrial harmony in our public universities.

?We call on our students, parents, civil society organizations, media and other well-meaning Nigerians to join hands with ASUU to save Nigerian public universities from imminent collapse,?? he said.

Muhammad also expressed concern over worsening insecurity; high cost of living; rising poverty and widening wealth inequality in the country.

He said that Nigerians were being kidnapped, maimed and killed almost on a daily basis by bandits, kidnappers and insurgents, leaving thousands internally displaced.

?Many communities and property of innocent citizens had been vandalized and destroyed by criminal elements.

?We remind governments at all levels of their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property of citizens,? Muhammad said. (NAN)

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