BENUE STATE GOVERNMENT SHOWS LACK OF CONCERN ON BSU ASUU STRIKE



By Nyiter Fanen Andrew
Reactions from members of Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU) Benue State University chapter has shown that, the Government is displaying high level of lack of concern on the issue of the strike embarked by the Union, this is observed due to it lack of speeding decision on the matter, it discussions in the media, public meetings on the issue shows that the government has left the major issues raised by the Union and is always stating "Salary and Earned Allowance" which are the least and last on the list of issues raised by Union.

Here are the major issues raised as noticed on social media from some members of the Union; (1) No pension scheme, (2) No health insurance scheme, (3) heavy tax burden, (4) No time for annual leave (accumulated leave days), (5) Amendment of the University law, (6) Non payment of outstanding Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), (7) delay in salary payment at end of month.

On the same issue some members of the Union also took to the social expressing how it feels to be maltreated as a human being by another with out the person putting his or herself in your shoe to see how it is.  Some of the posts are: "My pain as a Lecturer in BSU",  "Professors who made Benue State University what it is today have retired to faith without pension", work like a slave and serve Government for 35 Years without Pension and within all these years you are not allowed to go on leave and within all these years you have no Health insurance cover", "we expect our leaders and government actors especially the Governor and Visitor to university to work out functional solutions to these problems rather than making inciting and inflammatory statements on the strike action at public meetings".

You can read some of the posts as posted by the some members of the Union on social media:

Daniel Chile -
When you work like a slave and serve Government for 35 Years without Pension and within all these years you are not allowed to go on leave and within all these years you have no Health insurance cover and above all you are criminally over taxed and somebody will stand somewhere and make sweeping comments that you have no right to cry even when you are beating? For how long can we continue like this? Professors who made Benue State University what it is today have retired to faith without pension. We are tired,the truth must be told, we are stakeholders in the Benue project and shall not succumb to intimidation. Government should own up to her responsibility and fix the Benue project so that all and sundry will achieve the First Class university they have desired.

Ogi John -
My pain as a Lecturer in BSU
So I should understand that as a lecturer in Benue State University, I teach a class of 1000 students and above under very harsh condition and I am not allowed to go on leave for 7 years that I have worked and am not paid leave allowance neither am I paid for teaching such a number when NUC approved 40 students to a single Lecturer.

I John Ogi I still seat on a plastic chair in my office,do I even have an office? If I am sick my employer does not care if I die because they can always replace me, if I retire there is no pension so I have to struggle at old age to train my children because am 30 and am not married so when I will retire at 60 my first child will still need my money which I don't have.

I go on strike and you call me selfish? It's alright, I am being owed allowance from 2009 till date and I ask to be paid and people compare me with primary school teachers! Haba this is unfair .......IamJohnOgi


Ben Ejuwa Ogbu -
ON ASUU-BSU STRIKE
I am pleased to make some clarifications on the on going ASUU-BSU strike action. Our ambition as a university is to be counted among the best 200 institutions of higher learning in the world. To realise this ambition, we need to necessarily engage high profile resource persons across the world with requisite training and exposure. It is these quality of personnel that can develop the capacity of students to acquire global competitive and comparative advantages. This is the only way that our products or graduates can be relevant in the labour market whether locally or internationally.

The process of engaging this category of manpower is different from the requirements for other sectors. In other words, it is not mere buying and selling in a common market. Indeed, to disengage a lecturer of value from a university system can be liken to a seven to eight months pregnant woman going for an abortion. Both the mother and the unborn baby will face equal risk. It is therefore, important to note that a university of good promise must necessarily function on sound intellectual foundation. I must confess that these human beings are usually difficult to source because of the high demands for them globally.

The fundamental requirement for attracting high profile scholars to a university is the nature of available incentives. These incentives also serve as energy stimulants for high productivity towards attainment of the predetermined goals of the university. This is where our situation in BSU present some dangerous problems. Let me do well to highlight some of the problems thus: 
1. Absence of pension scheme upon retirement from the university after about 25 years of its existence. Many of our senior colleagues have retired into uncertainties and some have even died. 

2. Absence of Health Insurance Scheme.
 3. Heavy tax burdens. A situation whereby a professor in BSU pays monthly tax of about N60,000 against that of about N5000 (less than 10%) paid by professors in other universities in Nigeria. 

4. Delays in payment of monthly salaries. We are aware that the BSU situation on this point is far better than other sectors. However, it should be noted that career progression in the university system is dependent on sound academic publications. Since we do not enjoy research grants like the case in other universities, we solely depend on our monthly salaries to meet both family and job requirements. Delay in salary payment to BSU lecturers therefore mean delay in career progression which is dangerous for both workers and the university system. 

5. Non payment of outstanding earned academic allowances (EAA). A lecturer in BSU teaches and assesses students numbering over 1000 in most classes within regulation time. Outstanding allowances of such labour have remained unpaid for several years etc.
The above reality of the BSU situation which necessitated the strike action is not only pathetic but totally incapable of sustaining and attracting any academic staff of value to the institution. In fact, several scholars of unquestionable pedigrees have left the services of the university due to poor conditions of service and job insecurity. To make a joke of these issues is to seriously threaten the continuous existence of the university which has remained one of the very few surviving public institutions in the state.

I therefore, expect our leaders and government actors especially the Governor and Visitor to university to work out functional solutions to these problems rather than making inciting and inflammatory statements on the strike action at public meetings. This approach will certainly not help in solving the problems both now and in the future. Since posterity shall one day judge our actions and inactions especially in public affairs, let us continue to do the needful to escape possible unpleasant retributions. May God help us to solve these problems.


Tine Vaungwa -
ASUU-BSU STRIKE
I have had cause to answer questions from a few friends on the above issue on a one on one basis and feel like doing it here for my other friends. Those who asked wanted to know why we are such ingrates by embarking on a strike when the government is 'more up-to-date' with BSU salaries than other state workers.

It is true the government is owing us less than other civil servants, salary wise. However, that's not the main issue plus the issue of non-payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA). These are the two issues the media have been awash with as the defacto reasons of our strike. Yes, indeed, they are part are part of the issues but they are the last two issues on the list, in order of priority.


Our grouses are 1) no pension scheme 2) no health insurance scheme 3) heavy tax burden 4) no time for annual leave(accumulated leave days) 5) amendment of the University law 6) arrears of EAA 7) delay in salary payment at end of month.

To a worker with the government, what is worse than not having a pension scheme? If other government institutions, universities inclusive, have pension schemes, why has the case of BSU been different since 1992? This is a struggle that has been on for awhile. If you have a retiree father, mother, brother, sister or relation from BSU, ask him or her for further education.
If you have questions, let's interactive, please.




















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