We've lost 10 lecturers since ASUU strike began - UNICAL

The University of Calabar branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has said 10 of its academic staff members had died since the commencement of the ongoing union strike.

ASUU-FG battle: Pulse reports that ASUU embarked on industrial action on February 14, 2022, following the federal government failure to honour several agreements between the two parties.

Some of ASUU's demands include the payment of lecturers' earned academic allowances; funding for the revitalisation of public universities; and adoption of University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a preferred payment option.

The Federal Government has since invoked the "No work, no pay policy," insisting that 80 per cent of the union's demands have been met, but ASUU has vowed to continue with the strike until the government agrees to pay the salary backlogs.

10 lecturers dead: Giving updates on the over seven-month old strike, the ASUU UNICAL Branch Chairman, Dr John Edor, confirmed to The Punch on Thursday that the institution has lost 10 lecturers since the strike began.

Although, Edor did not state the circumstances surrounding the lecturers' death, some had speculated that lack of funds to threat serious medical conditions, may have caused their death.

Asked to comment on the government's decision to withhold the salaries of the lecturers for the seven month period, Edor said, “I won’t make further comments.”

Names of departed lecturers: He however, reeled out names of the deceased lecturers and their courses taught.

The names listed are; Prof. E. O. Udosen, Biochemistry; Dr. Mrs. Iquo Takon, Microbiology; Prof. G. U. Ntamu, Religious and Cultural Studies; Prof. Mrs. Judith Otu, Sociology; Prof. Victor Ibianwu, Physics, Prof. Offiong Abia, History and International Studies; Prof. Catherine Agbor, Arts Education; Dr. Augustine Bassey, Sociology; Dr. Ita Esuabana, Mathematics and Dr. Chinyere Okam, Theatre and Media Studies.