ASUU Decries Politicization of Academic Staff Recruitment in Nigerian Universities

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has decried the politicisation of academic staff recruitment in Nigerian universities, warning that the development is undermining the quality of tertiary education. The union also criticised the conversion of non-academic staff to academic positions without following due process. ASUU Zonal Coordinator for the Bauchi Zone, Prof. Timothy Namo, raised the concerns at a press conference held at the University of Jos. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn Namo said the long period without recruitment had created serious gaps in the university system, adding that the situation was being worsened by political interference in the employment of academic staff. He said governing councils were expected to recruit staff based on established criteria, but politicians were now influencing the process. "Senators, members of the House of Assembly and high-profile politicians would bring in lists of candidates, most of whom would not be qualified to be absorbed as academic staff," he said. ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, described the development as dangerous to the quality of education in the country. He said some senior non-academic staff were being moved to the academic cadre without the requisite training and qualifications. Piwuna stressed that due process must be followed to maintain the standard and effectiveness of the university system. He also expressed concern over the lack of interaction between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and university lecturers, saying the union had not had an interface with the president for three years. "It has reached a point as if we are begging to see our president as the body of intellectuals. I think it is the most shameful thing for anybody in government," he said. Piwuna urged the federal, state and local governments to redirect their socio-economic policies towards addressing the needs of citizens and prioritise public welfare. Read the original article on Daily Trust . AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica . To address comments or complaints, please Contact us . AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa - aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 90 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.