The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nsukka Zone, has raised alarms about the Federal Government’s ongoing failure to address critical issues affecting Nigeria’s university system. The union has warned that another strike may be on the horizon if these concerns remain unaddressed.
Zonal Coordinator Raphael Amokaha made the statement during a press release in Makurdi on Wednesday, emphasizing that the union’s decision to refrain from industrial action since suspending the 2022 strike was a testament to their patriotism and commitment to the education sector.
However, Amokaha stated that the continuous neglect by the Federal Government is compelling ASUU to consider resuming industrial action. “The Union has bent backwards to avoid industrial disharmony in our public universities by seeking an amicable resolution of the issues in contention,” he noted.
Reflecting on the circumstances that led to the 2022 strike, Amokaha explained that the government had disregarded a negotiated agreement and imposed a “take it or leave it” ultimatum. He expressed frustration over the minimal progress made in addressing the core issues that have plagued Nigerian universities despite years of negotiations.
“We were forced into the 2022 strike by the government. What option was available to our union at that time? We had negotiated a reviewed agreement over five years (2017-2022) under three government-appointed negotiation chairmen, yet the government dismissed it and offered a unilateral award,” Amokaha stated.
The ASUU zonal coordinator lamented the continued decline of the nation’s universities, asserting that conditions have not improved for institutions or their staff in the last fifteen years. “All efforts by our Union to halt the decay and revitalize our universities have been frustrated by the government. Efforts to improve the welfare of our members have equally been blocked,” he added.
Amokaha pointed out that university workers remain the only group of employees in Nigeria without a salary review for over fifteen years. “We have consistently held press conferences, staged protests, and organized town hall meetings to avoid strikes and impress upon the government the need to act. Unfortunately, all these efforts have been futile,” he lamented.
He warned that unless the Federal Government engages sincerely with ASUU and takes prompt action to resolve the ongoing issues, the union may be forced to strike. Key demands include the completion of renegotiations of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft, the release of withheld salaries from the 2022 strike, and payment of overdue salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
Other pressing demands involve the release of outstanding third-party deductions, funding for the revitalization of public universities as outlined in the 2023 Federal Government Budget, payment of Earned Academic Allowances, and addressing the proliferation of universities by both Federal and State Governments.
“The ball is now in the government’s court. If we go on strike, the blame lies squarely with the Federal Government,” Amokaha concluded.