The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a fresh 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, threatening to embark on another strike if their longstanding demands are not met.
The warning was given on Wednesday by ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, who expressed his frustration with what he described as the government’s delay tactics. According to him, the government has failed to fulfill its promises and resolve issues that have been pending since the 2022 strike.
Osodeke, speaking on behalf of the union, said the current state of Nigeria’s public universities is dire. He accused the Federal Government of neglecting the academic sector and failing to respect the agreements made between both parties.
The most pressing issue, according to ASUU, is the non-payment of salaries for members who participated in the 2022 strike. Despite several negotiations and promises, these salaries remain unpaid, a situation that has led to financial hardship for many lecturers across the country.
The union is also demanding the full implementation of the 2021 agreement reached with the government. This agreement, based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021, was meant to address several issues facing the academic sector. However, much of the agreement remains unfulfilled.
ASUU is also calling for the payment of unpaid third-party deductions, such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions. These deductions, which are supposed to be automatically removed from lecturers’ salaries, have not been paid, further worsening the financial situation of ASUU members.
In addition, the union wants the release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments. These employees have been affected by the government’s controversial Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), a system that ASUU has long opposed.
The union is also demanding that the Federal Government allocate more funds for the revitalization of public universities. This, they say, should be included in the 2023 Federal Government budget. They are also calling for the payment of Earned Academic Allowances, which are overdue.
Professor Osodeke did not mince words when speaking about the frustration felt by the union. He accused the government of intentionally delaying solutions to the issues facing Nigerian universities.
“ASUU has been patient for too long,” Osodeke said. “We have given the government enough time to address these issues. But instead of fulfilling its promises, the government has been using delay tactics.”
He further warned that the crisis in the university system is deepening because of the government’s failure to take urgent action.
“The government cannot continue to treat the education sector this way. Our universities are falling apart. Our members are suffering. We cannot continue like this.”
According to the ASUU President, the union has decided to extend an additional 14 days to the Federal Government to resolve these outstanding issues. This follows an earlier 21-day ultimatum that was also ignored by the government.
“Considering the situation, ASUU has decided to grant the Nigerian Government an additional 14 days,” Osodeke stated. “This period begins on Monday, September 23, 2024.”
He stressed that the union’s patience is running out and that if the government fails to meet their demands within this period, another round of strikes will be inevitable.
“If nothing is done within this time, the government should be prepared for industrial action. We cannot be held responsible for any disruption this may cause. The ball is in their court now.”
This ultimatum is the latest chapter in ASUU’s long-running battle with the government over funding and the treatment of university lecturers.
In 2022, ASUU embarked on an eight-month strike, one of the longest in Nigeria’s history, over the same set of issues. The strike disrupted the academic calendar, leaving students stranded and universities shut down for months.
After prolonged negotiations, the union agreed to call off the strike, but many of the agreements reached during those talks have not been implemented. This has created tension between the union and the government, leading to repeated threats of further industrial action.
Aside from the financial and salary issues, ASUU is also concerned about the government’s policy of creating new universities while the existing ones are underfunded.
The union has repeatedly called for a halt to the establishment of new universities by both the Federal and State governments. According to ASUU, many of the new institutions are not adequately funded, and they believe the government’s focus should be on fixing the already existing ones.
“We need to strengthen our existing universities,” Osodeke said. “Creating more universities without addressing the problems facing the ones we have is not the solution.”
ASUU is also demanding that the government reverse what they describe as the “illegal dissolution” of university Governing Councils. Additionally, they want the visitation panel reports for universities to be implemented without further delay.
