ASUU to Publish List of Resigned PhD Holders from Bauchi University

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Sa’adu Zungur University, Bauchi (SAZU), has announced plans to release the names of thirty PhD holders who recently resigned from the university. This was revealed in a press statement issued on Saturday by the ASUU-SAZU branch chairperson, Awwal Hussain.

The move comes in response to a rejoinder issued by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Auwal Hassan, who downplayed earlier reports of the resignations. Hassan had disputed claims that 30 PhD holders had resigned, but Hussain insists ASUU has a verified list and intends to make it public soon.

Hussain condemned the university’s response as “unfortunate and misleading,” accusing the administration of misrepresenting the facts. He particularly took issue with the university’s acknowledgment of only one deceased academic staff member, labeling it an insult to the memory of the other deceased staff members and their families.

He detailed the deaths of seven academic staff members—Dr. Abdulqadir Musa Badara (Business Administration), Maryam Zangoma (Biochemistry), Mr. Godwin (Public Administration), Salim Abubakar (Business Administration), Nasiru Saidu (Business Administration), Mohammed Manu (Education), and Muhammad Garba Imam (Biological Sciences)—who all died while still in service. Hussain criticized the university for failing to recognize their contributions, saying it sent a “disheartening message” to current staff about how their efforts might be disregarded after their passing.

The union leader also pointed out that the deteriorating working conditions at SAZU have driven many academic staff members to resign or seek employment at neighboring institutions where they feel more valued. He reaffirmed ASUU’s stance that at least thirty PhD holders have left the university, contrary to the university’s acknowledgment of only six departures over the past two years.

Hussain urged journalists to investigate the situation and uncover the true scale of the exodus of PhD holders from SAZU. He argued that the poor working conditions and lack of adequate compensation were the primary reasons for the mass resignations, noting that while lecturers frequently leave SAZU for other universities, there are no recorded instances of academics resigning from other institutions to join SAZU.

In light of these resignations, the Bauchi State House of Assembly has pledged to launch an investigation into the matter. During a plenary session on Wednesday, the chairman of the Assembly’s Education Committee, Nasiru Ala, called for a thorough probe into the reasons behind the mass resignations, which have been linked to inadequate salaries and unfulfilled entitlements at SAZU.

Ala urged the university’s management to provide a detailed position paper on the situation to the Assembly. He also called on the state’s Ministry of Higher Education to present the government’s stance on the issue and outline any plans to improve conditions within the state’s education sector.

Ala further criticized the university’s leadership, stating that the chairman of the governing council had overstayed his tenure, which he said was affecting the institution’s performance. He suggested appointing an indigenous vice-chancellor to address some of the issues plaguing the university, noting that all three previous vice-chancellors had been appointed from outside the state.

This growing controversy has cast a spotlight on the broader challenges facing Sa’adu Zungur University and underscores the need for urgent reforms to prevent further brain drain and restore stability to the institution.