By Our Reporter
The Vice-Chancellor of Kaduna State University (KASU), Prof. Abdullahi Ibrahim Musa, has dismissed claims by the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU-KASU) that more than 200 lecturers have left the institution due to poor working conditions.
Musa described the claim as misleading and said it did not accurately reflect the situation at the university.
The Vice-Chancellor’s reaction followed a recent press conference by ASUU-KASU, in which the union issued a two-week ultimatum to the Kaduna State Government over the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and other welfare-related issues.
In a statement, Musa said the movement of academic and non-academic staff between institutions was a global phenomenon and should not automatically be interpreted as an indication of poor working conditions.
He, however, urged the union to present facts objectively and avoid creating unnecessary alarm over staff mobility.
The VC cited KASU’s academic and research achievements as evidence of an environment capable of attracting and retaining scholars. He noted that the university still had internationally recognised researchers, including Prof. Ibrahim Inuwa Yahaya of Chemistry, Dr Daniel Yahaya Shagaiya of Mathematics and Dr Abdullahi Yusuf Zuntu of Physics, who are ranked among the world’s top two per cent of scientists.
Musa also disclosed that the Kaduna State Government had invested more than N290 million in resource verification and accreditation of over 90 academic programmes, describing the investment as part of efforts to strengthen academic standards.
According to him, KASU has attracted more than £945,000 in research funding over the past three years across various disciplines.
He further highlighted international partnerships established by the university since 2023, including collaborations with Benha University, Institut Sains dan Unjuk Kerja (ISUJ), Jakarta, and the Makkah International Centre for Qur’anic Guidance.
The university, he added, established the China-Nigeria Belt and Road Initiative Joint Laboratory in collaboration with Zhejiang University and the Longquan Industrial Innovation Research Institute through the COCESS Faculty.
Musa also said KASU had secured a N1 billion competitive research grant from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for commercial agriculture research and development.
On student welfare, the Vice-Chancellor said the Kaduna State Government had paid scholarships worth more than N1 billion, reduced tuition fees by 50 per cent and allowed students who could not afford their fees to sit for examinations.
He said the government had also cleared inherited salary arrears dating back to May 2022 owed to university staff, paid SIWES allowances and maintained regular monthly salary payments.
Musa reaffirmed the university management’s commitment to staff welfare and institutional development, while appealing to ASUU-KASU to reconsider its position and return to negotiations.
He said constructive engagement and sustained dialogue remained the best way to resolve outstanding issues in the interest of staff, students and the university’s stability.