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  • Prevail on FG, state govts to honour agreements, ASUU urges stakeholders

    Prevail on FG, state govts to honour agreements, ASUU urges stakeholders

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benin Zone, has called on all well-meaning Nigerian students, parents, civil society organizations, the press, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), statesmen, captains of industry, and other stakeholders to prevail on the federal and various state governments in our country to honour their agreements with the ASUU.

    The Coordinator, Benin Zone of ASUU, Prof. Monday Lewis Igbefen, said the call became imperative in order to prevent the nation’s education sector from sliding further into an undesirable level of decay and dysfunction.

    Prof. Igbefen also warned of an imminent crisis if the federal and state governments failed to implement the 2009 with the union.

    The Zonal Coordinator made the call during a recent press conference held at Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Delta State.

    Speaking on the theme of the conference, titled, ‘Averting Looming Crisis in Nigerian Universities,” Prof. Igbefen urged the federal government and its agents to avoid crippling academic activities in the nation’s universities.

    He noted that since the suspension of the last strike in October 2022, the federal government had yet to make good its promises to actualize the review of dismal conditions of service.

    Prof. Igbefen said, “The Federal Government and its agents are inexplicably determined to cripple academic activities in the nation’s universities.

    “Since the suspension of our last strike in October 2022, the federal government is yet to make good its promise to actualize the review of our dismal conditions of service.

    “The government has yet to sign the draft renegotiated 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, which our union views as a significant milestone in the resolution of the issues at hand.

    “The satisfactory and conclusive renegotiation of the agreement and its successful implementation is the only desirable solution to the worsening living and working conditions of staff, the pandemic problem of underfunding, and other challenges of university governance in Nigeria.

    “The federal government is unwilling to pay up years of arrears of promotion entitlements, still pays lip service to the duty of adequately funding education, and continues to be reluctant to release our withheld three and a half months salaries and third-party deductions.

    “It is unimaginable that, in the face of the daily exponential increases in the cost of basic services and goods in Nigeria, university lecturers have been abandoned to grapple with the harsh realities of an abysmally poor salary structure they have had to endure for sixteen (16) agonising years”. 

    He said the result of the development had been a steady erosion of the humanity and integrity of university lecturers and a corresponding flight by a good number of them to other better organised economies.

    Prof. Igbefen further said, “Whereas it is a known fact that no nation can develop beyond the quality of its education, it is worrisome that the federal government will continue to treat the education of its citizenry with levity.

    “For clarity and the avoidance of doubt, the contending issues in this current agitation are as follows: the re-negotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement; sustainable funding of our universities; revitalization of universities; victimization of our colleagues in LASU, KSU (now Prince Abubakar Audu University), and FUTO; outstanding 25/35% salary arrears.

    Read Also: Path to ending ASUU strikes

    “Others include promotion arrears of over four years; withheld three and a half months salaries and other outstanding salaries of staff; withheld third party deductions, ASUU dues, and members’ welfare savings.

    “Our Union is deeply concerned that despite her best patriotic efforts and patience, the agents of the Federal and State Governments have deliberately reneged on all the promises they made to our union, and our members are appalled by this refusal of the Federal Government to deal with the issues that affect their welfare.

    “We are resolved that we will not continue to tolerate this insensitivity of governments at both the state and federal levels and we are convinced that now is the time to get them, once and for all, to comprehensively address all the matters related to the welfare of our members and the continued existence of affordable university education in Nigeria.”

    He equally said the union was determined to take necessary steps to press home those demands, stressing that the government’s failure to address their demands was no doubt a direct invitation to crisis.

    “Nigerians should be aware that this is a critical moment in the history of university education in the country, as it is currently on the precipice,” Prof. Igbefen stated.

  • Path to ending ASUU strikes

    Path to ending ASUU strikes

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened total and comprehensive strike if the Federal Government continues its inertia on the implementation of the Memoranda of Understanding/Action resulting from its agreement with the union in 2009.  Last week, the union further embarked on protests nationwide  to make the government accede to its demands swiftly. However, it remains to be seen what would finally lay to rest the agitations of the lecturers with the numerous demands on ground. DAMOLA KOLA-DARE reports.

    Behind the incessant strikes

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned of an impending nationwide strike. This is not the first time the union would be at loggerheads with the Federal Government on long-running battle bordering on enhanced welfare package. In the latest move, the union is set to embark on an industrial action if the government continues to ignore the long-standing agreements on the revitalisation and proper funding of Nigeria’s public universities.

    ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, stated that  lecturers had endured over two years of unfulfilled promises and delay tactics by the government.  Piwuna listed unresolved issues to include the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, outstanding salary arrears, withheld promotions and the welfare of retired lecturers.

    At a news conference, which was a precursor to the rally held last week nationwide, he said: “The general public should also note that ASUU has written several letters to the Federal Government drawing its attention to the need to resolve this crisis amicably. Lamentably, the Federal Government has always turned a deaf ear to all our pleas.

    “As always, it is the FGN that has consistently pushed our union to embark on a strike action, and it is clear that ASUU may have no other option than to embark on an action to press the FGN to listen to our demands and do the needful.

    “The government made promises on these issues. Regrettably, we are here today to inform the Nigerian public, through you, that these undisputed issues could lead to a crisis in our education sector, as with other consequences, nothing but the same response.”

    The union discountenanced the proliferation of universities without sustainable funding, warning that such actions have lowered standards and global rankings.

    On pensions, the union lamented that professors who served for over 40 years now receive as little as N150,000 monthly, despite rising inflation and living costs.

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    A rallying call to the Federal Government

    During the peaceful protests across campuses  last week, academics were united in purpose: better welfare and improved funding of the education sector.

    Chairman of the ASUU, University of Lagos  Chapter, Prof. Idowu Kehinde, noted that the union had tried several ways and strategies of resolving the conflict in the education sector, but the Federal Government was not forthcoming.

    “As always, it is the Federal Government that has consistently pushed our union to embark on strike, and it is clear that ASUU may have no other option than to embark on an action to press the government to listen to our demands and do the needful.

    “For the benefit of the doubt, these issues include  re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement,  sustainable funding of our universities, revitalisation of universities, victimisation of our colleges in LASU, KSU (Kogi State University now Prince Abubakar Audu University) and FUTO (Federal University of Technology, Owerri);  outstanding 25-35 percent salary arrears and promotion arrears  for over  four years,” he said.

    ASUU  Chairman, Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Comr. Akolade Lapite, stressed the need  for the Federal Government to find a way to avert the crisis in the universities.

    “Having spent so many months and years on negotiation and time, some of them have died, some were co-opted, and some of them again died. So, nothing is stopping the government from doing what is needed,” he added.

    In   UNIJOS, where ASUU President  Piwuna teaches, the members accused the government of being responsible for the lingering dispute.

    Chairman of the branch, Jurbe Molwus, said the protest  was  being carried out to draw the attention of all critical stakeholders to the persistent failure of the Federal Government to adequately address its demands.

    “ASUU is worried that it may no longer be able to guarantee industrial harmony that has been enjoyed for over two years of which the government is no doubt proud of.

    “We would like to state for the record that this has been achieved at the detriment of the welfare and well-being of our ever resilient members who have suffered persistent denial of their due entitlements,” he added.

    The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) proposed some key pathways to ending incessant strike to include: welfare without disruption, sustainable funding mechanism, institutionalised collective bargaining council, legal and policy safeguards, and annual education stakeholders’ summit.

    CONUA National president, Mr. Niyi Sunmonu, advised that instead of sitting every three years or more to determine the remuneration, the Federal Government should introduce wage indexation tied to inflation and cost-of-living indices. He added that the government should also ensure that a guaranteed predictable schedule for the payment of promotion arrears and earned allowances housing, health and research support for academics should be structured for effectiveness and expanded.

    Sunmonu advised that the government should compact all the funding sources for education into a “Higher Education Financing Framework” to ensure predictable and transparent allocations.

    “The education budget should also be ring-fenced such that arbitrary cuts are discouraged in order to ensure steady and progressive investment,” he advised.

    On the Institutionalised Collective Bargaining Council, the CONUA boss advised that the Federal Government should establish a permanent Education Sector Collective Bargaining Council, comprising representatives of the Federal Government, all the registered unions and other relevant stakeholders. He noted that this council would ensure that agreements are time-bound, legally enforceable, and reviewed periodically.

    “The council could also act as an ‘Education Mediation Panel’ to resolve disputes early, through mediation, arbitration, public reporting and eventually to a last resort action.

    “On Legal and Policy Safeguards: Once agreements are reached, the Federal Government should ensure that they are gazetted for legal enforceability. The National Assembly could also play the role of overseeing compliance and implementation,” he noted.

    Sunmonu reiterated that education was too important and all-inclusive to be left in the hands of the government and the staff only.  He called for a yearly summit of stakeholders, including students, parents, and registered unions, chief executives of institutions and private sector to be convened with the Federal Government to review progress and renew commitments.

    According to Lagos Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Adesola Nassir, funding at the university is not about payment of salary, but about everything that is required in expenditure of funds in the university, such as conferences, students’ warefare, staff warefare, among others.

    Nassir stated that the major issue was lack of sufficient funding by the government. He also noted that inappropriate funding on these things, would always result to short funding crisis, for staff and students, management and others.

    The ASUU Zonal Coordinator emphasised that the major thing was whether the government would really buy into all the proffered solutions to ensure that there is no strike.

    He urged the government to open up on their shortcomings “for people to know this is how far you can go and what next can be done.

    “The real issue is; is the government really interested in solving the problem permanently? Is it convenient for them? Is it in line with the policy they want to implement? These are the issues. These are what ASUU has been saying: fund the universities appropriately,” Nassir noted.

    Hope on the horizon

    Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa, who held a meeting with government’s representatives at the review panel, noted that government would fulfill its promises to ASUU. He  said the meeting reviewed ASUU’s proposals, line by line, which would be fine-tuned by the committee’s technical team.

    The minister said the team would submit a “clean report” that would be forwarded to the Yayale Ahmed-led Committee to renegotiate the 2009 ASUU/FG Agreement.

     “We want an agreement where every component is actionable and feasible. Nigerians can be assured that this government will keep our schools open and ensure our children remain in classrooms,” he said.

    The minister said unlike in the past, the Ministry of Justice would be fully involved in the process to ensure that the agreements comply with constitutional provisions.

    The minister  assured that ASUU’s recent protests would not lead  to  a strike because government had engaged the union “continuously and meticulously.”

    He  said: “We are committed to solving this problem once and for all. What has lingered since the 2009 and 2021 agreements will now be addressed in a sustainable way.

    “The President has made it clear that every promise made to ASUU and Nigerians will be fulfilled truthfully and honestly.”

    He restated  government’s commitment to the resolution of the issues raised by the union, adding  that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had mandated the ministry to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

    He said the administration was not interested in “bogus or unsustainable agreements,” but in reaching a constitutional and implementable accord.

    With the latest move, the union would sheathe its sword with a return to the negotiation table.

    Stakeholders: resolve all issues once and for all

    For the sake of students, stakeholders want all contentious issues that may warrant confrontation between the union and the federal government resolved once and for all to ensure peace and stable academic calendar on campuses.

    Board of Trustees Chairman of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, urged the Federal Government to approve what it has the capacity to do, adding that  if there are certain areas of the 2009 agreement that the government cannot meet, it should inform the union. He said parents were fed up with strike threats because of more money and welfare issues.

    Ogunbanjo said: “We are tired of ASUU strikes because of more money. ASUU should be understanding because of our children. Government should tell them what it can fulfill. The strike usually causes a lot of disruptions such that children take to many unwanted acts. We plead with ASUU to negotiate more effectively with the government. Government should approve what it has the capacity to do for the sake of our children.

    “Government and ASUU are responsible for education. If there are certain areas of the 2009 agreement that the government cannot meet, it should tell the union.

    “The 2009 agreement was signed by erstwhile President Good luck Jonathan, but it seems the current budget does not have capacity to approve everything.”

    National Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Samson Ajasa Adeyemi, called for sincerity between the two parties as it concerns education.

    In a chat with The Nation, he said: “The government should be more sincere when it comes to education matters. And also likewise, ASUU also needs to be more sincere. This agreement of 2009 and this and that, I think it’s high time they came together and formulate this thing and have a straightforward direction.

    “Thank God for the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, that is there today. At least, he is  someone liberal and approachable and someone that we believe can chart a good way forward . So, I believe it is high time they looked at all this agreement again. They should constitute a panel or stakeholders’ meeting for everyone to make  a contribution.”

    A student at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), Wonderful Adegoke, said: “ASUU industrial action often comes as a blessing in disguise for students. To make the best use of such times, I usually learn other skills. During the last ASUU strike, which lasted eight months, I learnt soap-making, photography, & social media management. Fortunately, it turned out to have helped me on campus.

    “However,  the government should show its commitment to education by coming to a final agreement with ASUU, to curb the increasing crime cases recorded during such periods.

    “Most importantly, our government should reconsider increasing its annual allocation to education and also work towards promoting the standards of education in Nigeria.”

  • Another ASUU strike?

    Another ASUU strike?

    •All stakeholders should take action now to avert this calamity

    President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023 on the heels of consistent unrest in the universities. At a point before his assumption of office, the institutions were shut for about eight months, as lecturers withdrew their services.

    But, when the president took over, he promised that peace would reign in the schools. Since then, the government has been in regular negotiations with the teachers, to ensure that the calendar of public schools is kept sacrosanct.

    Among the promises kept were payment of Earned Academic Allowances and substantial offsetting of unpaid salaries inherited from the former administration. At a point, the President personally met with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    However, the union has now served notice that it could be withdrawing its services again. That would be unfortunate as the Federal Government has demonstrated some good faith. It has introduced a students’ loans fund to help the poor finance tertiary education; released N50 billion to refresh infrastructure and gave indication that it would improve on the remuneration of the academic staff.

     It could be said that it is taking so long in a country where prices of products are galloping daily. Senior academics are said to be going home with less than N500,000 every month. This is certainly unacceptable. The Federal Ministry of Education has a duty to speed up the negotiations as many professors in retirement are reported to be earning only about N150,000 after a lifetime of moulding lives, many of whom are now captains of industry and leaders in government.

    Both sides should find a common ground in the interest of their students and the education system. Lecturers should understand that the rot that has lasted decades could not be cleared in one or two years. It is good that they served notice and followed it with protests on their campuses nationwide, but they should give government some more time to find a way out of the quagmire.

    Government, too, should realise that only accelerated action would be acceptable for people and a system that have been deprived for so long. The 2009 Memorandum of Understanding that has been the bone of contention ought to be fully discarded and replaced by another within a short period.

    Read Also: TINUBU IN BRASILIA: Nigerian, Brazilian Leaders deepen ties during historic State visit

    It is unfortunate that the education minister has come out to say that the 2022 review of that MOU amounts to nothing as it was neither signed by the government nor ASUU.

    But why did it take the government so long to come up with this strange position? The Nimi Briggs Committee that looked into the requests was constituted by the Federal Government and had representatives of the university community on board.

    Afresh, the lecturers have submitted new requests, including payment of N2.5 million monthly salary to experienced professors. Given what was done for the judiciary, this may not be too much to accord the university teachers.

    Already, the poor condition of service has started affecting manpower in the schools. In the University of Lagos, at least 239 first class lecturers recruited between 2015 and 2022 have reportedly resigned their appointments. A former vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Toyin Ogundipe, said this in a lecture delivered recently. This is alarming and must be checked if the lecture halls are not to be deserted in no time.

    Threats by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) may be needless, but should not be easily dismissed. If it goes ahead to shut down critical national assets on account of a possible strike by the lecturers, it could affect public safety and compound welfare concerns in the country.

    Relevant arms and institutions of government should wade in now to avert the industrial action.

  • Govt panel to review post-2009 agreements with ASUU

    Govt panel to review post-2009 agreements with ASUU

    • Polytechnic workers serve strike notice

    To forestall strike by university teachers, the Federal Government yesterday acceded to the call for the review of the 2009 agreement by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    Although government insisted that it did not sign any pact with the protesting lecturers, the Minister of Education,  Dr. Tunji Alausa,  said concerted efforts would be made to avert industrial dispute and disruption of academic activities in the universities.

    The minister who clarified that draft agreements made following perennial dispute over the 2009 pact were not signed, told reporters in Abuja that a seven-man committee headed by Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan, was set up to present government’s counter-proposal to the union. 

    READ ALSO: Echoes of terrorism

    Acknowledging government’s promise to review the  agreement, many ASUU chapters resolved to return to the negotiation table.

    However, Polytechnic workers, who issued a 21-day strike notice, demanded action on welfare complaints, particularly the non-payment of accumulated promotion arreas.

    The non-teaching staff under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) issued the ultimatum at its 77th General Executive Council meeting held between August 26 and 28 at the Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Danbatta, Kano State.

    A statement by its National President, Philip Ogunsipe, and National Secretary, Sehu Gaya,  accused the government of paying lip service to polytechnic education.

    Govt will fulfil promises to ASUU, says Alausa

    Alausa, who held a meeting with government’s representatives at the review panel, including

    the Minister of State for Education, Minister of Labour and Employment, and Solicitor-General of the Federation, said government would fulfil its promises to ASUU.

    Also at the meeting were Permanent Secretaries in the Ministries of Education, Labour and Justice; and heads of key agencies, including the National Universities Commission (NUC), Salaries and Wages Commission, and the Budget Office.

    Alausa said the meeting reviewed ASUU’s proposals, line by line, which would be fine-tuned by the committee’s technical team.

    The minister said the team would submit a “clean report” that would be forwarded to the Yayale Ahmed-led Committee to renegotiate the 2009 ASUU/FG Agreement.

    Alausa added: “We want an agreement where every component is actionable and feasible. Nigerians can be assured that this government will keep our schools open and ensure our children remain in classrooms.”

    The minister said unlike in the past, the Ministry of Justice would be fully involved in the process to ensure that the agreements comply with constitutional provisions.

    He assured that ASUU’s recent protests would not snowball into a strike because government had engaged the union “continuously and meticulously.”

    Alausa said: “We are committed to solving this problem once and for all. What has lingered since the 2009 and 2021 agreements will now be addressed in a sustainable way.

    “The President has made it clear that every promise made to ASUU and Nigerians will be fulfilled truthfully and honestly.”

    The minister maintained that contrary to the impression by some Nigerians, government has never signed any binding agreement with ASUU, describing the document as a draft.

    He reiterated government’s commitment to the resolution of the issues raised by the union, saying that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had mandated the ministry to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

    He said the administration was not interested in “bogus or unsustainable agreements,” but in reaching a constitutional and implementable accord.

    Alausa stressed: “But let me clear this point of correction: the Solicitor General looked into the agreement. The government has never signed any agreement with ASUU. This was a draft agreement.

    “The 2021 agreement was not executed by the government. So, I need to be honest and truthful to Nigeria. ASUU might have an impression that they have an agreement with the government. There was no signed agreement with the government.”

    The contentious agreement:

    Previous attempts to review the 2009 agreement failed despite the intervention of four committees.

    The Federal Government set up a committee led by Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), former Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, in 2017 to review the agreement.

    But the committee could not complete the assignment.

    Later, government set up another committee headed by the Chairman, Committee of Pro-chancellors, Prof Munzali Jibril, in 2020 when former President Muhammadu Buhari was in power.

    In 2021, the Munzali committee, working with ASUU, came up with recommendations in a draft agreement within three months.

    The government rejected the salary structure proposed by the committee, saying that it had no money to pay the university lecturers.

    The Buhari administration set up another committee headed by the late Emeritus Prof Nimi Briggs.

    On June 16, 2022, the Briggs Committee submitted a draft agreement to the government, which it described as a product of collective bargaining.

    However, government refused to implement it.

    The agreement was never signed, making the 2022 strike to last until October when an Industrial Court asked the ASUU to suspend the strike after a suit was instituted against the union by the Federal Government.

    Last year, former Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, inaugurated the Yayale Ahmed committee to handle the renegotiation of agreements with university – based unions.

    On Tuesday, branches of ASUU staged a one-day protest nationwide to draw the attention of the government to its demands. 

    The protest disrupted academic activities in public universities. 

    The branches are expected to hold separate congresses to vote for or against the strike.

    ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna could not be reached for comments after the minister’s briefing. He did not pick his calls. 

    The demands of ASUU include:

    *Conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement in 2021

    *Release of withheld three-and-half months salaries on account of the 2022 strike

    *Release of unpaid salaries of staff on sabbatical, part-time and adjunct appointments.

    *Release of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions

    *Funding for revitalisation of public universities

    *Proliferation of universities by federal and state governments and others.

    Why we are embarking on strike, by SSANIP

    SSANIP explained that it issued a strike notice to press its legitimate demands.

    These include the release of new schemes and conditions of service; setting up of the renegotiation committee on the 2010 agreement; non-release of the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Needs Assessment Funds; non-payment of promotion arrears, 25/35% salary review arrears, wage award, and full implementation of the new minimum wage.

    Ogunsipe said: “The council also observed that despite several efforts to ensure peaceful resolution of the demands, the government has only paid lip service to the issues.

    “Based on the above, the union demands immediate action on the listed issues within 21 days beginning from today, 27th August, 2025, or we will be left with no option but to withdraw our services across the nation”, the communiqué partly stated.

     The union expressed displeasure over what it described as government’s insincerity in honouring agreements and prioritising the education sector.

  • ASUU UNIMAID rejects renaming of varsity after ex-President Buhari

    ASUU UNIMAID rejects renaming of varsity after ex-President Buhari

    The University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has opposed the Federal Government’s decision to rename the institution after former President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The union, through its UNIMAID chairman, Dr. Abubakar Mshelia Saidu, told reporters yesterday in Maiduguri after a congress meeting that the government’s action was “provocative, unacceptable, and deeply offensive” to the values of academic freedom, institutional integrity, and democratic governance.

    According to Dr. Saidu, the move is a blatant disregard for university autonomy and academic freedom.

    Read Also: ASUU rejects FG’s loan scheme for lecturers, others 

    He argued that the name University of Maiduguri is not just a label, but an identity rooted in decades of scholarship, sacrifice, and service to the Northeast and Nigeria at large.

    The union leader noted that the decision to rename the university without consultation with its governing council, the workers, the students, the alumni, or the host community was a recipe for disaster.

    “To erase that legacy without engagement is to insult the very soul of this institution,” he said.

  • Strike: Fed Govt, ASUU to resume talks

    Strike: Fed Govt, ASUU to resume talks

    • Our patience overstretched, union warns

    The Federal Government has said it will meet with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) today to continue discussions and avert disruption in academic activities across public universities.

    The Director of Press and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, confirmed this in an invitation he sent yesterday to cover the meeting between both parties sent yestrday.

    “This engagement reflects the ministry’s commitment to constructive dialogue and collaboration in addressing key issues in Nigeria’s university system. Your coverage and presence will be highly valued,” the notice said.

    The union had threatened to embark on a strike today unless the government took immediate steps to address their demands.

    On Tuesday, branches of ASUU across the country staged a protest to draw the attention of the government to its demands.

    The protest disrupted academic activities in public universities.

    To placate the union, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, met with the leadership of the university lecturers on Tuesday and discussed salary review and other demands of the university teachers.

    Some of the demands of ASUU include: conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021; release of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries over the 2022 strike; release of unpaid salaries of staff on sabbatical, part-time and adjunct appointments.

    Read Also: ASUU rejects FG’s loan scheme for lecturers, others 

    Others are: release of outstanding third-party deductions, such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions; funding for revitalisation of public universities; proliferation of universities by the federal and state governments, and others.

    Also, ASUU has renewed its warning to the federal and state governments over unpaid salaries and allowances.

    The union also threatened to down tools if the governments do not take urgent steps to address its demands.

    It accused the governments of failing to sign the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.

    ASUU expressed its concerns on the heels of the union’s protest on Tuesday when it demanded the implementation of the agreement and immediate payment of withheld entitlements, which it said have left many academic workers impoverished and frustrated.

    Speaking on a television programme, ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said the union had exercised enough patience and understanding for the Federal Government to meet its obligations to academics.

    Piwuna said: “We’ve been on this for such a long time, and we have, in our view, always demonstrated patience, understanding, and have adopted dialogue to try to address these issues.

    “Since democracy started in 1999, people are quick to say that ASUU has been on strike and schools have been closed. You wonder what the government thinks about these actions.

     “When this government came into power two and a half years or so ago, we had engaged them. This is the second Minister of Education since the advent of this administration. We engaged Prof. Tahir Mamman; we have engaged the current minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, over these issues.

    “It appears as if the machines of the government work extremely slowly, and we have had that over and over again.

    “We say to ourselves: ‘Why can’t you make it more efficient? Why can’t you make the government more responsive to these issues?’

    “But we think that we have demonstrated enough patience; we’ve kept the schools open. Let me just make this point: the government has tried to keep the schools open.”

    Registering its grievances, the Kwara State University (KWASU) branch of ASUU accused the state government of neglecting its promise to pay nine years’ worth of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).

    Its Chairman, Prof. Shehu Salau, regretted that despite repeated assurances, the allowances remained unpaid.

    “This serves as the last warning before we take action,” he said, adding that third-party deductions had also not been remitted to most Nigerian universities.

    At the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State, lecturers marched around the campus, urging the Federal Government to honour the renegotiated 2009 agreement concluded earlier this year.

    ASUU-AAUA Chairman, Boluwaji Oshodi, said: “All we are saying now is: just sign so that we can move forward. If there are problems in our universities again, the government should be held responsible.”

    Also, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) chapter of the union lamented that the Federal Government was pushing lecturers into poverty.

    The union chairman, Ola Oyedele, said lecturers were tired of being owed salaries and allowances while government toyed with agreements reached after years of negotiation.

    He also rejected the proposed Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund (TISSF), describing it as a “bait loan” that would further impoverish academics.

    A former ASUU National Treasurer, Olusiji Sowande, recalled that four government negotiation panels had been set up since 2017 without concrete results.

    At the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, the union members hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for setting up the Yayale Ahmed Committee to conclude talks with ASUU.

    It urged the President to ensure the gains recorded did not go to waste.

    Chairman of OOU ASUU, Dr. Ganiyu Yinusa, called for the signing and implementation of the committee’s report, demanding payment of withheld salaries from the last strike.

    The ASUU chapter of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU) in Ekpoma, Edo State, also protested non-payment of up to 29 months’ salary arrears, a claim the school’s management dismissed.

    AAU-ASUU Chairman, Dr. Cyril Onogbosele, said some union members were still owed up to 29 months in salary arrears, as well as promotion arrears and unpaid allowances.

    But the university’s spokesman, Otunba Mike Aladenika, insisted that the debts had been reduced from over 35 months inherited to about 15 months through phased payments.

    He dismissed the 13th-month salary demand as a negotiable privilege, not a right.

  • AAU, ASUU differ on salary arrears

    AAU, ASUU differ on salary arrears

    Management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have disagreed over payment of all arrears owed to the institution’s staff.

    The spokesman of the institution, Otunba Mike Aladenika, said the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sunday Olowo Samuel, never claimed to have cleared all staff arrears.

    Aladenika was reacting to comments by AAU ASUU Chairman, Dr. Cyril Onogbosele, that it was insensitive, untrue and misleading for the university administration to say it had cleared all backlogs of salaries of staff from the N500m monthly subvention.

    Onogbosele said some staff were still owed up to 29 months and above, 13th month salary, staff promotion arrears, N70,000 and 25-35% minimum wage increase arrears.

    But Aladenika said the VC only emphasised the administration’s commitment to the gradual liquidation of the arrears.

    He stated that Professor Samuel highlighted prompt payment of salaries and pensions as a hallmark of his administration, and wondered where ASUU got their information from.

    According to him, “It’s worth noting that when the current administration took over, ASUU members were owed over 35 months in arrears. However, the debt has since been reduced as those owed 35 months and above were paid 10 months’ salary arrears in the 1st tranch, while in the 2nd tranch, those owed 20 months and above were also paid 10months’ salary arrears, emblock. 

    Read Also: AAUA lecturers urge FG to sign ASUU agreement, warn of looming strike in public varsities 

    “On the issue of the 13th-month salary, it’s essential to clarify that this has never been a right, but rather a subject of tripartite negotiations between workers, management, and the state government. There has been no prior agreement or understanding on this matter, and it has always been a point of negotiation for our unions.

    “It’s worth noting that the university has never paid 13 months’ salary in a 12-month financial year. However, this doesn’t mean that the management is opposed to negotiations on the matter. Rather, we believe that it’s essential to approach such discussions constructively, rather than using it as a bargaining chip for blackmail.

    “The management is open to negotiations, but we urge all parties to engage in good faith and avoid misrepresentations.”

  • AAUA lecturers urge FG to sign ASUU agreement, warn of looming strike in public varsities 

    AAUA lecturers urge FG to sign ASUU agreement, warn of looming strike in public varsities 

    Lecturers at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, have called on the federal government not to renege on promises made to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), warning that any failure could trigger another nationwide strike.

    The lecturers, who joined their counterparts across the country in a protest on campus, expressed displeasure over the FG’s refusal to sign the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement

    Speaking on behalf of the lecturers, the chairman of ASUU-AAUA, Comrade Boluwaji Oshodi, said the government should be held responsible if another crisis erupts in the nation’s public universities.

    “The major reason why we are protesting today is to bring to the awareness of Nigerians that the Federal Government is about to renege on its agreement again, and we are not going to take this,” Oshodi said. “If there are problems again in our universities, the government should be held responsible.”

    Read Also: How we combine doing business with academics, by AAUA students

    He explained that all avenues for dialogue had been exhausted since February 2025 when the renegotiated agreement was concluded, stressing that ASUU’s demand is simply for the government to honour its word.

    “All we are talking about now is just sign so that we move forward. This agreement was drafted and reached by a committee properly constituted by the government. We don’t understand what is going on,” he added.

    Describing ASUU as a peaceful union, Oshodi said the protest was to alert Nigerians to the looming danger in the education sector. 

    He emphasised that the union’s major expectation from the federal government is the immediate signing of the agreement for the benefit of public university education in the country.

  • ASUU rejects FG’s loan scheme for lecturers, others 

    ASUU rejects FG’s loan scheme for lecturers, others 

     University of Jos Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has rejected the Federal Government’s loan scheme for university lecturers and other workers in tertiary institutions.

    Prof. Jurbe Molwus, the chairman of the union in the university, said this during a press conference on Tuesday in Jos.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government had about two weeks ago announced the Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Fund.

    The move, according to government, is a welfare and empowerment initiative for academic and non-academic staff in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

    The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said that the fund was a direct response to the welfare and professional growth needs of the nation’s tertiary institution workforce.

    Read Also: ASUU protest paralyses UNIBEN

    Molwus, who called on the government to implement the 2009 agreement with the union, said that the loan scheme was a “trap”.

    The chairman also described the scheme as a “poisoned chalice” and urged members to stay away from it.

    “Our members do not lack where to find loans; indeed, they are already deep in debt from such loans.

    “What we need now is for government to sign our renegotiated agreement.

    “That way our purchasing power will improve and decrease our reliance on debts from cooperative societies.

    On the peaceful protest by ASUU members across the university campuses, Molwus said that the move aimed at calling on the government to address the lingering issues.

    The chairman urged President Bola Tinubu to personally engage with the ASUU leadership and hear the concerns firsthand.

    He added that such move would enable the president to take a decisive action toward preventing the disruption of academic activities in universities across the country.

    (NAN)

  • Alex Ekwueme varsity ASUU threatens to down tools August 28

    Alex Ekwueme varsity ASUU threatens to down tools August 28

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, has issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet its demands before Aug. 28 or risk industrial action.

    Prof. Louis Omenyi, the union’s branch chairman, announced this on Tuesday during a news conference at the university.

    He said that members of the union nationwide had become restive due to what he described as government’s persistent failure to implement agreements reached with ASUU over the years.

    “We state unequivocally that without urgent government intervention in these irreducible minimum demands of our union, industrial harmony can no longer be guaranteed,” Omenyi said.

    According to him, the demands include the immediate signing and implementation of the draft renegotiated 2009 Agreement between the union and the Federal Government.

    Other issues, he said, were the release of three months’ outstanding salaries of members and payment of third-party deductions being withheld under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

    The union also demands the payment of promotion arrears, implementation of mainstreamed Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) in members’ salaries and removal of threats to university autonomy and academic freedom.

    Omenyi further demanded the immediate withdrawal of ASUU from being compelled to guarantee members for the Students’ Loan Scheme under the Tertiary Institutions Students Support Fund (TISSF).

    The union also called for an end to the alleged victimisation of its members in Prince Abubakar Audu University, Ayangba; Lagos State University, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO).

    The ASUU leader also decried what he termed government’s deliberate indifference to the plight of lecturers.

    According to him, the union has exhausted all avenues of dialogue and consultation in the interest of peace and stability in the nation’s universities.

    Read Also: ASUU Strike: Activities in varsities grounded

    “We have been very patient and consistent in our engagements with government, but it appears that our genuine sacrifices are being taken for granted; enough is enough,” he said.

    Omenyi said ASUU remained committed to quality education and the defence of university autonomy, but insisted that lecturers could not continue to work under poor conditions and deliberate neglect.

    He called on well-meaning Nigerians, traditional rulers, opinion leaders and civil society organisations to prevail on government to avert another nationwide disruption of academic activities.

    “Industrial action is always our last resort, but when government fails to meet its obligations, we have no other choice; the ball is now in the court of government,” he added.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ASUU and the Federal Government have has a long history of disagreements over funding of universities, welfare of lecturers and implementation of agreements.

    The non-implementation of these agreements has often led to several protracted strikes that crippled academic calendars across public universities.

    In 2020, for instance, the union embarked on a nine-month strike, one of the longest in its history, over issues bordering on revitalisation of universities, salaries, and IPPIS.

    In 2022, there was another eight-month strike over similar demands, which forced government to seek intervention from the judiciary before lecturers eventually returned to class.

    Stakeholders fear that a fresh industrial action could worsen the challenges in Nigeria’s public universities, with millions of students already struggling to recover from previous disruptions.

    (NAN)