A senior lecturer at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State, Dr Philips Nto, has resigned his membership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, citing lack of transparency and inclusiveness in the administration of the union.
Nto, who is the Director, Agribusiness Incubation Centre, of the university expressed regret that “the institution’s union has been hijacked by self-centred individuals who now run it like a cult group”.
In a letter he addressed to the institution’s ASUU, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Umuahia, at the weekend, the lecturer accused the leadership of using the association to truncate the career progression of some members who are regarded as outsiders”instead of the union fighting for the welfare of members.
Nto, a former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in the state, cited a personal case where the institution’s chapter of ASUU wrote a petition against his promotion to the rank of a professor, reflecting the internal contradiction in the union.
The lecturer in the letter which was copied to ASUU in the university, Prof.ChikeUgwuene, regretted that the union has been reduced to a tool for personal vendetta against perceived enemies of the executive members, citing a situation where he has been shortchanged by institution’s ASUU in the disbursement of the recently released Earned Academic Allowance to members.
He said, “During the recent disbursement of Earned Academic Allowance, I was short paid by ASUU MOUAU. Whereas my counterparts received between N800,000 to One million Naira, I was discriminated against and paid only N267,992. My protest letter to that effect is yet to be replied to.
“The lack of transparency in the disbursement of the fund and the impunity with which some members are treated like outcasts have left me with no option than to exit the union”.
He lamented that since he became a member of ASUU, he has benefited nothing in spite of his huge financial contribution to the running of the union including an unrepaid loan of N250,000 in 2013 and implored the university management to cease the deduction from his salary any dues payable to ASUU, since he is no longer a member.
Though the chairman of the MOUAU ASUU chairman, Prof.ChikeUgwuene could not be reached for his reaction, a member who spoke on condition of anonymity said, Dr.Nto had just resumed from secondment at Abia State College of Education Technical, Arochukwu, where he had benefited in terms of remuneration.
The source disclosed that on coming back, Nto was granted a promotion to the level of Professor by the university management, which the union in the university rejected through a petition.
