By Ali Hope

The Acting Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) branch, Dr Andrew Apeh has outlined major achievements, ongoing challenges, and renewed appeals for improved welfare and salary adjustments since assuming office in March 2025.

The ASUU leader, who stepped into the role after the substantive chairman fell ill, recalled receiving a call from the national body mandating him to take responsibility for steering the union’s activities at ESUT. “Since then, I’ve been on the job, and it has just been very well,” he said.

Dr Apeh who spoke in an exclusive interview with ESUT Monitor in his office during the week,  said one of his earliest tasks was leading the branch delegation to the National Delegates’ Conference (NDC) in Benin, where the current national leadership of ASUU, headed by Professor Chris Piwuna, was elected.

Upon returning, the union faced immediate challenges, beginning with the health of the substantive chairman. The acting chairman noted that the ESUT ASUU executive took full responsibility in ensuring the ailing chairman received quality medical care across several hospitals.

Another major issue the branch confronted was the consequential adjustment controversy. Although both teaching and non-teaching staff began receiving the 2020-approved adjustment in June 2023, the academic staff stopped receiving theirs by July of the same year. This continued until June 2025 when, after engaging the management, the payments were restored.

He attributed the progress to the Vice Chancellor’s understanding of ASUU’s welfare demands, describing the VC, himself a former ASUU leader at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, as someone who “has made things easy” for the union.

However, he emphasized that the union still faces “a major challenge” concerning the implementation of the 25% and 35% salary increments, which many federal and state universities have adopted. The branch, he said, has yet to benefit from the reviewed salary structure.

“It pains when you know that other academic staff elsewhere are receiving double your salary, and you render the same job,” he lamented, noting that research which is crucial for academic promotion is costly and difficult to fund without proper remuneration.

The chairman also highlighted the successful hosting of the 2025 ASUU Day on 27 November, describing it as “one of its kind.” The event focused on staff welfare, including honouring retirees, supporting families of deceased members, and hosting extensive medical outreach programmes. Lecturers underwent free eye examinations, prostate screenings, diabetes tests, and many received free medicated eyeglasses.

The event attracted dignitaries from across ASUU zones, including chairpersons from Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM), Benue State University, (BSU), and Kogi State University (KSU) as well as national resource persons and zonal leaders.

The acting chairman expressed deep appreciation to ESUT ASUU members for their support and participation, noting that the branch remains active and fully represented at the national level.

He concluded with a hopeful appeal to the state government “We know our governor has a listening ear. By God’s grace, we hope to celebrate before January. We are calling upon him to come to our aid, help the education sector, help our university, and help our lecturers so we can continue delivering quality education.”