The Governing Council of Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), has announced plans to recruit nearly 300 new academic staff members as part of its ongoing expansion and reforms.
The Council also approved the long-awaited promotion of both teaching and non-teaching staff, some of whom have remained stagnant for about five years. The official list of promoted staff will be released on Monday, September 1, 2025.
Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Rt. Hon. Agwu U. Agwu, PhD, disclosed this in a weekend chat with The Guardian after the Council concluded its 158th regular meeting, which was only the second since its inauguration in March 2025.
Agwu, a former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, said the Council reviewed committee reports and approved new measures to improve the welfare of staff and students.
He noted that ABSU, which currently has about 20,000 students, is projecting an increase of 10,000 new intakes in the next academic cycle. To support this growth, two 5,000-bed capacity hostels—one for male and one for female students—are under construction.
On why the university has enjoyed relative industrial peace in recent times, Agwu attributed it to Governor Alex Otti’s intervention, particularly the clearance of 11 months of salary arrears owed to staff.
“The workers don’t need to be told to maintain peace. If 90 percent of your problems have been addressed, what need is there for strike action?” he said.
According to him, ABSU’s challenges in recent years included unpaid salaries, insecurity, poor infrastructure, and decaying hostels. He revealed that significant progress has been made, including reconnection to the national power grid, restoration of clean water, and renovation of existing hostels.
The Council also approved N830 million for the purchase of engineering equipment, while other projects worth billions of naira—such as perimeter fencing and new faculty buildings—are underway.
Agwu further disclosed that road rehabilitation between Okigwe and Uturu is almost complete, reducing travel time to less than 10 minutes.
On the relocation of the Faculties of Agriculture and Law from Umuahia back to Uturu, he confirmed that the process is ongoing. He praised the governor for providing infrastructure to ensure a smooth transition.
“His Excellency is a listening governor. He has taken it upon himself to ensure that by the time everything is ready, the movement back to Uturu will be seamless,” Agwu stated.
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