The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has raised the alarm over the growing influence of politicians in the recruitment of academic staff, warning that the practice could further weaken the quality of teaching and learning in Nigerian universities.
The union also criticised the conversion of non-academic workers into academic positions without the required qualifications or due process, describing the trend as a threat to standards in the university system.
ASUU Zonal Coordinator for the Bauchi Zone, Prof. Timothy Namo, disclosed the concerns at a press conference at the University of Jos. Brandspur Politics reports that he linked the recruitment problems to prolonged gaps in the employment of academic staff.
According to Namo, university governing councils are expected to appoint academic staff based on established requirements. He, however, alleged that political figures were increasingly interfering in the process by submitting lists of candidates for employment.
He said some of the candidates presented by politicians did not meet the qualifications required to become academic staff, raising concerns about the possible consequences for the standard of university education.
The union’s position is particularly significant as Nigerian universities continue to grapple with staffing challenges. Prolonged delays in recruitment, according to Namo, have already created gaps in the system, with political interference adding another layer of difficulty.
ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, also condemned the conversion of senior non-academic staff into academic positions without the necessary training and qualifications.
Piwuna insisted that recruitment and appointment procedures must be respected if universities are to maintain the competence and effectiveness expected of academic staff.
The concern goes beyond employment figures. The quality of lecturers directly affects what students learn, the academic support they receive and, ultimately, the value of the degrees they earn.
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For students and families already investing heavily in university education, any weakening of academic standards could have consequences that extend beyond the classroom and into the labour market.
Piwuna also expressed frustration over what he described as the lack of direct engagement between the Federal Government and university lecturers. He said ASUU had not had an interface with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for three years.
He described the situation as embarrassing, particularly because university lecturers represent a major body of intellectuals whose concerns, he argued, should receive attention at the highest level of government.
The ASUU president called on the federal, state and local governments to review their socio-economic policies and focus more strongly on the welfare and needs of Nigerians.
The union’s latest concerns place renewed attention on the process through which academic staff are recruited into public universities and the need to protect professional standards from external influence.
As universities seek to fill staffing gaps, ASUU is insisting that appointments should be driven by qualifications and established procedures rather than political connections.
