No fewer than 50 students were given N60,000 each by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka branch to support their education.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 50 teaching staff of the institution and members of ASUU-NAU who retired between 2012 and 2020 were also given awards by the union.
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The scholarships and awards were given at a ceremony, held at the union’s secretariat on Wednesday.
Chairman of the union, Dr Stephen Ufoaroh, said that the scholarship was the second edition, and was part of the union’s social responsibility to the students and their parents.
Ufoaroh said that the student-beneficiaries students, who were largely indigents, were selected through a stringent screening process by ASUU’s students’ committee.
He thanked members for contributing generously to the fund in spite of being owed salaries and promotion arrears.
“Even though some academic staffers of UNIZIK are owed salaries and promotion arrears, ASUU-NAU members still saw the need to help in alleviating the suffering of our students.
“These students bear the pains of the ruling class’ insensitivity to the suffering masses. We ask you to continue to be determined in your academic pursuit.
“ASUU national is also awarding a scholarship of N100,000 to the most-deserving students in public universities in Nigeria of which a student of UNIZIK is a beneficiary.
“We pray and hope the students will make use of this fund to pay their school fees, thereby giving your parents/sponsors some relief for one academic session,” he said.
Also speaking, National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodoke, praised the congress and successive leadership of the branch for the gesture, praying that the money would go a long way in benefiting the students.
Osodoke, who was represented by Dr Uzo Onyebinama, said that ASUU had been and would continue to be at the forefront of free education in Nigeria.
According to him, ASUU is very convinced that Nigeria has the capacity to give free education to all her citizens if the political will is there,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the retirees, Prof. Onyido described the award as one of the best he had received coming from his constituency.
Onyido said that he was thankful to God for keeping them alive to witness the event after a meritorious service.
He said that some of their colleagues, who joined service along with him, were no more, while others didn’t reach the retirement age.
The retired don thanked ASUU for remembering comradeship, adding: “for me, this is one of the best awards that I’ve received, coming from my constituency.
“The Bible says that a prophet is not recognised in his own town, but this is contrary. We pray for the leadership and we will continue to support them morally and otherwise,” he said. (NAN)
