COOU Vice-Chancellor Holds Strategic Dialogue with SANU and NASU on Staff Welfare and Institutional Reforms

On Tuesday, 14th October 2025, Professor Kate Azuka Omenugha, Vice-Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), met with leaders of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) in a strategic dialogue aimed at enhancing staff welfare and promoting industrial harmony within the institution.

The meeting provided a platform for open interaction between the university management and union executives. Professor Omenugha thanked the unions for their willingness to engage in constructive dialogue, describing herself as “a strategist, not a violent person,” committed to achieving peace through collaboration. She urged aggrieved staff to remain calm and assured them of her readiness to address concerns effectively.

Addressing key union demands previously submitted to the Governing Council, the Vice-Chancellor emphasized that, as the substantive VC, she is now empowered to implement meaningful reforms. She highlighted plans to review a proposal for examination-based assessments for non-teaching staff, noting that participation would be voluntary and designed for professional growth. Professor Omenugha also stressed her administration’s focus on measurable improvements in teaching, learning, and result computation initiatives to position COOU as a model of institutional excellence.

Reiterating her commitment to staff welfare, she stated, “If I don’t get welfare for this university, then know that I’ve failed. I am the one person you can rely on to achieve this.” She encouraged proper documentation for performance tracking and assured the unions that the next meeting would finalize a structured salary and welfare plan. The session concluded on a celebratory note, with union leaders applauding the Vice-Chancellor’s openness and dedication with cheers and a solidarity song.