The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) after a recent National Executive Council (NEC) meeting has issued a warning to the Nigerian government, threatening an indefinite strike due to the government’s failure to honour the 2009 agreement.
The union, after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, had given a 21-day ultimatum to the government to address their concerns.
During a press conference in Jos, Plateau State, on Friday, Prof. Timothy Namo, the Bauchi Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, expressed the union’s frustration.
“As we speak, the government has not honoured any of the agreements or address our concerns,” Namo stated.
The union’s demands, which have lingered for over a decade, include improved funding for public universities, better working conditions, and the revitalisation of the education sector.
“At the end of the 21-day ultimatum, we issued an additional 14-day ultimatum starting from September 23.
“We want Nigerians to hold the federal government responsible if ASUU decides to strike and shut down public universities,” he stated.
Namo emphasised the unresolved issues, including the incomplete renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, the non-payment of three-and-a-half months’ salaries for academic staff, unpaid salaries for adjunct academic staff, and outstanding third-party deductions.
He also pointed to other unresolved matters such as inadequate funding for the revitalisation of public universities, non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) as outlined in the 2023 budget, the unchecked proliferation of universities, and the lack of implementation of reports from university visitation panels, among others.