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Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU) at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, ( MOUAU ) Abia State, Professor Chike Ugwuene has parried journalists questions on the resignation from the Union by Dr Phillips Nto who hinged his resignation on that the Union is now being run as a Cult Group.
Journalists had sought the MOUAU ASUU Leader’s reaction to the resignation of Dr Nto Nto, who in a press release, also cited lack of transparency and inclusiveness in the administration of the Chapter Union as another reason for his resignation.
In his press release, Dr Nto stated that he also directed the university management to immediately cease the deduction from his salary any dues payable to ASUU, since he is no longer its member.
When phone calls were put out to professor Ugwuene, the Local ASUU Leader, for his reaction, he said, ” yes yes, he resigned, but I cannot say anything because the Executive has not met to discuss it”, and he ended the call.
Nto who is the Director, MOUAU Agribusiness Incubation Centre, said in a Statement announcing his resignation that ” instead of the union fighting for the welfare of members, a cabal now uses it to even truncate the career progression of some members who are regarded as outsiders,”.
Dr Nto, who is former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in Abia state, cited his personal case stating that
” the local chapter of ASUU wrote a petition against his promotion to the rank of a professor, thus reflecting the internal contradiction in the union”.
Nto while disclosing that in his resignation letter he addressed to the Chairman MOUAU Chapter, he (Nto ) expressed regret that the union has been reduced to a tool for personal vendetta against perceived enemies of the executive members, decrying
” a situation whereby the MOUAU chapter adopted an apartheid policy in the disbursement of the recently released Earned Academic Allowance”.
According to him, ” 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 further disclosed.
Apparently seeing no reason or benefit to justify his continued long membership of ASUU, he asserted that 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.
He therefore implored the university management to cease the deduction from his salary any dues payable to ASUU, since he is no longer its member.
REPORT. BY GORDI UDEAJAH
