The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal and state governments to address outstanding issues affecting Nigeria’s university system or face a potential nationwide strike.
ASUU National President, Emmanuel Osodeke, announced the ultimatum during a press conference held at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia State on Wednesday.
The announcement follows the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held between August 17 and 18 at the University of Ibadan.
“The union would reconvene at the expiration of the 21 days’ notice to take appropriate decision(s) as deemed necessary,” Osodeke stated.
The union’s demands include addressing issues such as the review and signing of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, impactful funding including Emergency Revitalisation Fund for public universities, payment of outstanding earned academic allowances, and release of withheld salaries and promotion arrears.
Osodeke expressed disappointment with the government’s response to these issues, saying, “The NEC condemned in strong terms the seeming refusal by the federal and state governments to decisively address all the issues raised by the union.”
The ASUU president also criticized the slow pace of intervention by the Minister of Education in resolving these matters.
Other concerns raised by ASUU include the stoppage of illegal recruitments, proliferation of public universities, abuse of universities’ laws, regulations and processes, and the removal of universities from the Treasury Single Account.
Reflecting on past events, Osodeke mentioned that the NEC received “alarming reports” on the government’s failed promises to address issues that led to the nationwide strike from February to October 2022.
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In a related development, ASUU has declared September 10 as “Victimised Lecturers’ Day” to show solidarity with members who have been “unjustly persecuted across the nation’s universities.”
The union also expressed opposition to the federal government’s recent move to divert Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention grants to the Students’ Education Loan Scheme, describing it as “antithetical to the original intent of the law establishing the Education Tax Fund.”
While ASUU has faced criticism for its frequent strikes, including an eight-month-long strike in 2022, the union maintaining that its demands are crucial for protecting public universities and lecturers’ interests.
