The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, has assured staff members that his administration will continue to prioritize their welfare, promising that the outstanding July Consolidated Academic Teachers Allowance (CATA) will be paid in the coming week.
Professor Ortuanya gave the assurance during a surprise appearance at the Congress of the University’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU-UNN) at the Nsukka campus, where he addressed concerns over delayed staff entitlements and other welfare-related issues.
The Vice-Chancellor also expressed optimism that his administration would subsequently resolve the outstanding August CATA payment in the coming weeks.
“I got information about today’s meeting by 9:00 a.m., and I decided to attend,” Professor Ortuanya said, explaining that his absence from previous ASUU-UNN congresses was largely due to official engagements that frequently kept him away from the university.
Prof. Ortuanya commended the Federal Government and the Ministry of Education for paying CATA up to June. He expressed optimism that the government would honor its agreement with ASUU and other trade unions, urging staff to remain patient.
The Vice-Chancellor acknowledged the difficult economic conditions confronting university workers, noting that he immediately observed the anger and frustration among staff upon entering the venue. He shared that he had also experienced periods when his salary as a professor was insufficient to meet his financial obligations.
According to him, the realities facing staff made it imperative for the university administration to remain sensitive to their welfare. Professor Ortuanya stressed that his administration has been committed to meeting its obligations to workers, emphasizing that staff welfare will remain a central component of his agenda to rebuild the university.
“If I have the money to pay all outstanding staff entitlements, I have no reason to hold your payment,” he said. The Vice-Chancellor stated that his administration has consistently paid staff salaries since assuming office, ensured the payment of CATA up to June, and continued to process staff promotions presented to him.
He further disclosed that he has approved more than ₦350 million for the settlement of staff entitlements under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
However, Professor Ortuanya appealed to staff to consider the university’s peculiar financial circumstances, particularly its large workforce of more than 7,000 employees and the numerous financial obligations competing for available resources.
He explained that the university has deliberately maintained a financial threshold as a fallback mechanism to remain financially stable during difficult periods.
“It is deliberate and intentional to maintain a fallback. However, we are not doing so at the detriment of staff welfare,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor also offered ASUU-UNN the opportunity to independently verify the university’s financial position, asserting that the administration has nothing to hide. He invited the Union to nominate representatives to examine the university’s finances and verify the administration’s claims regarding its financial obligations and available resources.
Professor Ortuanya recalled the challenging circumstances he inherited when he assumed office and noted that his administration has since focused on rebuilding the institution through investments in infrastructure, human capital, international collaborations, and other initiatives aimed at improving the university’s standing nationally and internationally.
He emphasized that the physical transformation of the university will go hand in hand with investment in its people. “When the walls fall, the brain does not collapse,” he said, emphasizing his determination to prioritize the welfare and development of staff.
The Vice-Chancellor further pledged to leave the university significantly better than he found it, noting that his commitment to UNN extends beyond physical infrastructure. “I have a pact with the University of Nigeria and God; that I will not leave UNN the way I met it,” he said.
Professor Ortuanya described his administration as a friend of trade unions rather than an adversary and urged workers to continue relying on dialogue, mutual respect, and civility to resolve disagreements.
“We will rebuild the bricks, the fences, the walls; we will also rebuild our human welfare and capital,” he added.
Responding, the ASUU-UNN members, led by the Chairperson, Professor Florence Orabueze, expressed appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor for personally addressing their concerns. The visibly elated members commended what they described as the Vice-Chancellor’s practical concern for staff welfare and pledged their continued support for his administration.
