ASUU Strike: UNN Confute Call for Assistances Rumor
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Chapter has confuted claims that their members solicited for assistance to feed themselves and families following the ongoing nationwide strike in public universities.
This was contained in statement issued in Nsukka on Wednesday 13 July 2022, signed by Comrade Christian Opata and Comerade Michael Nwokedi, Chairman and Secretary of ASUU-UNN respectively.
The statement noted that the union was surprised and shocked by a recent viral video trending on social media, credited to Mr. Williams Uchemba, a popular Nollywood Actor soliciting assistance from the general public to help UNN lecturers feed themselves and their families.
Mr. Uchemba had in the video said that UNN lectueres were demanding assistance from him as they cannot feed themselves and their families because of the ongoing nationwide strike by ASUU.
The union in the statement said that they are not aware of any such plea and never initiated such, they stressed that ASUU-UNN has a welfare scheme for cushioning the effect of the prolonged strike.
The statement read in parts “the attention of the leadership of ASUU-UNN has been drawn to a video credited to one Mr Williams Uchemba seeking the support of well-meaning and good spirited individuals to help lecturers in UNN feed their families. The maker of the video claimed that the help arose from a request by one lecturer in the branch.
“However when the leadership of the branch got in touch with him, he was very apologetic and went ahead to put his apology in writing and posted some social media especially on his Facebook page.
“ASUU-UNN wish to inform the general public that our union is not aware of any such plea and never initiated same. Our shock is that we have a very welfare scheme for cushioning the effects of the withheld salaries on our members and majority of members who applied for help under the scheme were attended to. This is not limited to feeding but extends to payment for health challenges, school fees of wards, members and other challenges that require financial assistance.
“We suspect that this may be one of the antics of government to break the ranks of ASUU. Our suspicion is premised on the coincidence in the timing of the said post and President Mohammed Buhari’s misplaced, unfounded and ill-informed threat of ‘enough is enough.
“However, if his intention is genuine, we thank him for calling the attention of the public and government to the plight of Nigerian universities and equally ask other Nigerians to join him to prevail on government to end the strike and get our children back to school.
“We therefore call on the general public to disregard the mischievous call for assistance,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach Mr. Uchemba for reaction was unsuccessful as he did not reply both calls and text messages placed to his mobile phone as at the time of this report.
Source: Sunnewsonline
