No fewer than 30 PhD holders have resigned from Sa’adu Zungur Universityhttps://basug.edu.ng/?p=university (SAZU) due to dissatisfaction with poor pay and alleged mismanagement at the state-owned institution.
This was disclosed by the Zonal Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi Zone, Namo Timothy, during a press conference held at the university’s Yuli Campus on Friday.
Timothy raised concerns over the worsening crisis at SAZU, attributing it to inadequate staff welfare and poor administrative policies.
He called on the Bauchi State Government to declare a state of emergency in the university, warning that the ASUU Bauchi Zone could no longer guarantee industrial peace between its members and the university administration if urgent action was not taken.
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“The zone has engaged key stakeholders and exchanged numerous correspondences in an attempt to resolve these issues, but to no avail,” Timothy stated.
He emphasized that the exodus of highly qualified staff from the institution is a result of poor working conditions, lack of pension schemes, and absence of death benefits for employees, all of which are standard entitlements in public service regulations across the country.
Timothy further revealed that the university owes its staff over ₦650 million in Earned Academic Allowances and Excess Workload Allowances, a debt dating back to 2012.
He criticized the institution’s management for failing to prioritize staff welfare, noting that these unresolved issues have pushed many lecturers, including 30 PhD holders, to seek better employment opportunities elsewhere.
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In addition, the ASUU coordinator condemned the appointment of a Higher National Diploma (HND) holder as the university’s bursar, arguing that it violated the institution’s regulations, which require a minimum of a first degree for the position. This decision, he noted, has further demoralized the academic community and contributed to the wave of resignations.
“Staff at SAZU are not motivated to give their best when basic entitlements like pension and death benefits are not guaranteed,” Timothy lamented.
He urged the Bauchi State Government and the university’s administration to implement a comprehensive exit policy that includes pension and death benefits for employees to prevent further brain drain and ensure the smooth functioning of the institution.
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The resignations of the PhD holders mark a significant setback for the university, which now faces challenges in maintaining academic standards and providing quality education to its students.
As the crisis at SAZU deepens, the call for intervention from the Bauchi State Government grows louder, with stakeholders emphasizing the urgent need for reform and improved staff welfare to restore stability to the embattled university.