LAGOS – The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos(UNILAG) Chapter, has commended the institution’s authorities for urgently reviewing the current conditions of service of its lecturers.
ASUU’s Chairman at UNILAG, Dr Adelaja Odukoya, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that these would help it to stabilise its academic calendar and enhance relative peace.
NAN reports that the union had on Nov. 12 embarked on a rally to sensitise the public to the poor working conditions of its members.
Then, it had cited the ‘no Ph.D, no promotion or confirmation syndrome’ instituted by the authorities of the 52-year-old university as one of such poor conditions.
The union members had also expressed their displeasure at what they called the non-democratisation of departmental headship, accumulated leave, arbitrariness in promotion criteria and treatment of academic staff as second class citizens, among other issues.
The lecturers had then threatened to embark on what they called a ‘total and indefinite strike’ if the authorities failed to address the issues by December.
Odukoya said, “We have met and discussed with management concerning the issues.
“So far, two of the major issues have been resolved amicably and the others, I am sure in the next few days, will also be resolved.
“For instance, a circular has been issued to all heads of department that lecturers can now take their leave but should be harmonised in such a way that it will not affect academic activities.
“Similarly, another circular has been issued by authorities reviewing the ‘no Ph.D no promotion’ syndrome.”
Odukoya said that the authorities had directed that subject to the conditions of service and available records, lecturers can now be promoted even without acquiring a Ph.D.
“For now, a lecturer must not wait to acquire a Ph.D before being promoted to lecturer I.
“If a lecturer has put in about three years of active service and with enough publications, he can be promoted.
“Equally, if a lecturer gets approval for his thesis title, such a lecturer too can be promoted from lecturer 2 to lecturer 1and many others,” Odukoya said.
The unionist noted that there was need to motivate lecturers in order to get the best out of them. (NAN)