The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has revealed that 84 of its members have died between May and August 2024 due to economic hardship and unpaid salaries.
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, made the announcement during an interview on Channels Television’s “Inside Sources” program. He highlighted the dire circumstances faced by university staff, including government-imposed policies like fuel and electricity price hikes, which have exacerbated their financial struggles.
Osodeke criticized the Federal Government’s “no-work, no-pay” policy, which withholds salaries during strikes. He argued that this policy is particularly harmful during economic crises, as many lecturers are struggling to survive.
He called for increased funding for university education, emphasizing the need for adequate compensation to attract and retain qualified lecturers.
Osodeke shared that, despite having been a professor for 15 years, he only earns N420,000 per month, illustrating the significant wage disparity between Nigerian academics and their counterparts in other countries.
