The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned of a possible nationwide strike, accusing the Federal Government of failing to honour longstanding agreements on revitalisation and proper funding of Nigeria’s public universities.
Speaking at a press conference in the University of Jos on Thursday, ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, said lecturers have endured over two years of broken promises and delay tactics by the government.
He listed unresolved issues to include the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, unpaid salary arrears, withheld promotions, and the welfare of retired lecturers.
‘Government turned a deaf ear,’ ASUU
According to him, government promises on these matters have yielded nothing but further disappointment, putting the entire education system at risk of collapse.
“The general public should also note that ASUU has written several letters to the FGN drawing its attention to the need to resolve this crisis amicably. Lamentably, the FGN has always turned a deaf ear to all our pleas,” Piwuna said.
“As always, it is the FGN that has consistently pushed our union to embark on strike action. It is clear that ASUU may have no other option than to act, to press the government to listen to our demands and do the needful,” he added.
Union rejects government’s loan scheme
The ASUU president also dismissed the proposed tertiary institutions staff support fund loan scheme, describing it as a trap.
“Our members do not need loans. What we need is the implementation of agreements that will improve our purchasing power. Government is still owing us three months’ salaries, yet they are asking us to borrow money,” he said.
He further criticised the proliferation of universities without sustainable funding, warning that such actions have lowered academic standards and affected global rankings.
Concerns over pensions and welfare
On pensions, Piwuna lamented that professors who served for over 40 years now receive as little as ₦150,000 monthly, despite inflation and rising living costs.
ASUU said it will wait for the outcome of a government meeting scheduled for August 28 before deciding its next step. In the meantime, it announced that members will stage rallies across campuses next week to express their frustrations.
“Time is running out. We cannot continue to wait endlessly while the future of Nigerian universities is destroyed,” Piwuna warned.
