JUST-IN: Why We Issued 21-Day Strike Notice To FG – ASUU

ASUU Warns of Nationwide Strike as Federal Government Fails to Fulfill Promises

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the federal government of consistently failing to address the critical issues that continue to hinder the development of Nigeria’s universities.

Earlier, ASUU issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government, threatening a nationwide strike if their demands are not met.

ASUU President Emmanuel Osodeke, while speaking at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture in Abia, revealed the outcomes of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. The meeting, held between August 17 and August 18 at the University of Ibadan, focused on the unresolved issues that have plagued the nation’s tertiary education system.

The union plans to reconvene at the end of the 21-day notice to decide whether to proceed with the strike. This looming strike could become ASUU’s 17th strike in 23 years, following the 2022 industrial action.

Osodeke expressed disappointment over the federal and state governments’ apparent refusal to address the issues that led to previous strikes. He reported that the NEC had received “alarming reports” regarding the government’s unfulfilled promises from the 2022 strike.

He criticized the minister of education for the “slow pace of intervention” in resolving these longstanding issues.

Among ASUU’s demands are the review and signing of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, increased funding for universities, and the establishment of an emergency revitalization fund for public universities. The union is also pushing for the payment of outstanding earned academic allowances, the release of withheld salaries, promotion arrears, and third-party deductions meant for its members.

Additionally, Osodeke highlighted grievances over illegal recruitment practices, the proliferation of public universities, and the violation of university laws. The union is also demanding the removal of universities from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to preserve university autonomy.

In a show of solidarity, ASUU has declared September 10 as a day to support members who have been “unjustly persecuted” across various universities.