Kaduna varsity denies ASUU claim of 200 academics’ mass exit

Academic Staff Union of Universities. Photo: ASUU

The management of Kaduna State University has dismissed as misleading claims by the Academic Staff Union of Universities that more than 200 academic staff have left the institution over poor conditions of service.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdullahi Musa, said staff movement between universities was a global phenomenon and should not be interpreted as evidence of poor working conditions at KASU.

Musa stated this in a statement on Tuesday, following a two-week ultimatum issued by ASUU-KASU to the Kaduna State Government over the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and other welfare concerns.

The PUNCH reports that ASUU-KASU chairman, Abubakar Abdullahi, had at a press conference on Monday expressed concern over the alleged loss of more than 200 professors and other experienced academics.

Abdullahi said, “At a rate that we are losing more than 200 professors at a time, professors and others alike. It’s frightening. No system survives this kind of haemorrhage of experienced manpower.”

He added, “When you lose experienced scholars, you cannot replace their knowledge and years of experience overnight. It could take years for the university to recover.”

However, the KASU management urged the union to present its grievances objectively.

“The movement of academic and non-teaching staff between institutions is a global phenomenon and should not be misconstrued as evidence of poor working conditions,” the vice-chancellor said.

He added that attributing every staff departure to the university’s conditions of service was “misleading” and could create “unnecessary alarm” about the institution.

Defending KASU’s academic environment, Musa said the university had retained internationally recognised researchers, including Prof Ibrahim Inuwa Yahaya, Dr Daniel Yahaya Shagaiya and Dr Abdullahi Yusuf Zuntu, who are ranked among the world’s top two per cent of scientists.

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He said the university had also attracted more than £945,000 in research funding over the past three years.

“These accomplishments are a testament to the engagement and continued service of our distinguished academic staff,” he stated.

The Vice-Chancellor further said the Kaduna State Government had invested more than N290m in resource verification and accreditation of over 90 academic programmes.

He also cited the university’s international partnerships, including collaborations with Benha University, the Institut Sains dan Unjuk Kerja in Jakarta, and the Makkah International Centre for Qur’anic Guidance.

Musa said KASU had also secured a N1bn competitive research grant from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for commercial agriculture research and development.

On staff welfare, he said the state government had settled inherited salary arrears dating back to May 2022, paid SIWES allowances and maintained regular monthly salary payments.

The vice-chancellor also cited the payment of more than N1bn in scholarships and a 50 per cent reduction in tuition as evidence of government support for students.

He appealed to ASUU-KASU to reconsider its position and return to the negotiating table.

“The university management remains committed to constructive engagement and sustained dialogue with the union in the interest of staff, students, and the continued growth and stability of Kaduna State University,” Musa said.