Fuel Subsidy Removal: Nigeria No More Has Middle Class —SSANU Natn’l VP

By Daniel Dafe

National VIce President and Chairman of the South-South zone of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SAANU, Comrade Ambassador Cheta Azuma, has said that the present situation of things in the country was worrisome, adding that “there is no more middle class in Nigeria and everybody is now poor.”

Azuma, who was in Abraka, Delta State to attend the 6th Zonal Executive Council meeting of SSANU, on Friday, added that “when you talk about the minimum wage that is #30,000 and a bag of rice is over #40,000 it cannot help anybody so, we are under pressure.”

According to him, the Union’s leaders in the area will appraise the situation of things in the zone and look at a few national issues.

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“We are aware that yesterday there was protest. Every Nigerian is feeling it, both high and low,” he said.

Meanwhile, he spoke well of the Union’s chapter in Abraka, saying that they are led by a capable hand, Comrade Monday Izu.

In his words, “it is always very necessary that when you are in a position to elect leaders, you should not just elect them based on sentiments. You should elect your leaders for the qualities you know them for like competence and credibility. This is my third visit to this university as the National Zonal Officer and the Chairman of the zone. My first visit was when the union decided to honour the Vice-Chancellor for a change of how things are done because we have also gotten the history of how our union stood against the former Vice-Chancellor and his method of leadership. It can only come from a very quality leader. A leader that knows his role. So, when it comes to elections, sentiments should be set aside and credible leaders should be elected to lead an organisation.

Asked what his message was to the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Andy Egwunyenga, he said: “I said it and i will always say it that there are Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors. During my first visit here, the Vice-Chancellor created an impression in me and I am not suprised considering his background on how he has led unions and he knows what it takes. When you have experienced it and then you are placed in a position and you are ready to work, you can always change things. He has actually proven to people that there are leaders and there are leaders. I am impressed with what has been rolled out as the achievements that have been done by the Vice-Chancellor. Aside that, when you look around, you will also see projects that are ongoing and it can only come from a good leader. The Vice-Chancellor has done enough. As a union, we keep asking for more, but when someone has done well, we cannot hesitate to say thank you. So we commend the Vice-Chancellor for his achievements and development in the university and we urge him to do more.”