The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, says it rejected an offer by an Abuja-based Human Rights Radio, Brekete Family, to raise funds in its name because money being requested from government is meant for public universities and not ASUU.
ASUU’s National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke who made the position of the union known while appearing as a guest at the radio station on Saturday, said as a union, ASUU does not receive money from the government, adding that all funds are paid directly to universities involved.
Osodoke said ASUU was distancing itself from the fundraiser and that the union’s name should be removed from the account being used to raise the funds.
Human Rights Radio had, through its Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Mr. Ahmed Isah, initiated the fundraiser in ASUU’s name as part of efforts to end the lingering strike by the university lecturers with two accounts in ASUU’s name at Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB, and Jaiz Bank.
As at Saturday, the radio station had received N50 million in donations from Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, and another N100,000 from Arochukwu Youth Association, AYA, in Abuja.
But Osodeke said “Please I want to appeal that we shouldn’t be associated with the money that we are seeing on the floor here. Take notice that ASUU is not part it.
“We saw that the account opened also has ASUU’s name on it. If ASUU’s name is on it, ASUU requests that you kindly remove it.
“Brekete family can decide to say we are doing a project XYZ in each of the universities, there is nothing wrong with it. You can put your name, your picture.
“We will come, we will talk about our issues. But definitely ASUU is not part of what we are seeing here. So also, we will also like to reiterate that we love what you are doing. Everybody has the right to launch a fund for anything including the university.”
Following rejection of the fundraiser by ASUU, Human Rights Radio has announced the suspension of an initiative to raise funds for the striking union.
The CEO of the radio station, Isah also ordered the suspension of the Brekete ASUU Intervention Bank account and donation to the accounts.
