By HUSSAINA YAKUBU

The Vice Chancellor of Kaduna State University (KASU), Prof. Abdullahi Musa, has dismissed claims that 200 lecturers resigned over poor working conditions.

In a statement issue on Tuesday,

Musa described the claim by the university’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as misleading and unsupported by the university records.

He said staff movements arising from resignations, retirements, transfers and pursuit of professional opportunities were normal within the university system.

The vice chancellor challenged ASUU to provide verifiable evidence, including identities, resignation dates and reasons of lecturers allegedly leaving the institution.

He urged stakeholders to base public discussions concerning KASU on facts and verifiable records rather than sweeping assertions capable of causing unnecessary anxiety.

Musa said Gov. Uba Sani had cleared some salary arrears and improved the welfare of academic and non-academic staff since assuming office.

He said the administration had released more than N800 million for staff welfare over the past three years.

According to him, another N146 million was released to clear withheld salaries and outstanding Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) allowances.

He said KASU had consequently cleared inherited withheld salary obligations, demonstrating the government’s commitment to resolving long standing welfare issues.

Musa said government, university management and KASU-ASUU had established a N50 million monthly intervention to support the institution.

He added that the government had disbursed more than N200 million in overhead funding in 2026 to support essential university operations.

He said the funding covered laboratory chemicals and reagents, students’ field trips, examinations and other essential academic activities.

The vice chancellor said the state government had invested more than N300 million in accreditation of over 57 academic programmes.

He added that the investment also supported resource verification exercises for 60 postgraduate programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

Musa said KASU had secured full accreditation for seven professional programmes from relevant regulatory bodies.

He listed Nursing and Midwifery, Physiotherapy and the newly established Digital Learning Centre among programmes that secured full accreditation.

The vice chancellor said the university had established 14 research centres and two specialised institutes to promote research and innovation.

He said the institutions would advance multidisciplinary research, professional development, innovation and knowledge transfer.

Musa said KASU had introduced professional development initiatives, including long vacation training programmes for teachers and other professionals.

He added that the university secured a N1 billion competitive TETFund grant for commercial agriculture.

According to him, KASU researchers had attracted seven high profile international research grants within the last three years.

He said the researchers also attracted several national and institutional grants, demonstrating the growing competitiveness of the university’s research community.

Musa said Gov. Sani had prioritised access and affordability by reducing tuition fees across state-owned tertiary institutions, including KASU.

He said the government had also paid more than N1.6 billion in local and foreign scholarships to indigent students.

The vice chancellor said KASU had expanded international academic and research partnerships with institutions in Russia, Egypt, Britain, Indonesia, China and other countries.

He said the partnerships had created opportunities for collaborative research, academic mobility and capacity development.

Musa said the interventions demonstrated the government’s commitment to staff welfare, academic excellence, affordability, research and overall university development.

He, however, acknowledged that some welfare issues remained unresolved, stressing that management was committed to addressing them progressively.

The vice chancellor urged ASUU-KASU to reconsider actions capable of disrupting the academic calendar and imposing hardship on students and parents.

He said established channels of engagement remained open while measurable progress continued on outstanding welfare matters.

Musa advised ASUU to focus on legitimate welfare concerns and avoid being drawn into partisan politics or used by individuals seeking political advantage.

He said lecturers’ welfare, university stability and students’ education and future must remain paramount to all stakeholders.

The vice chancellor maintained that constructive dialogue remained the most effective path to resolving outstanding issues sustainably.

He urged stakeholders to regard industrial action as a last resort, particularly where government had demonstrated willingness to engage and provide substantial resources. (NAN)

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