The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has signaled a looming nationwide strike due to the federal government’s persistent failure to address the union’s longstanding demands.
During a news conference at the University of Lagos, ASUU’s Lagos zone coordinator, Prof. Adelaja Odukoya, expressed growing frustration over the government’s lack of responsiveness to the union’s appeals. Prof. Odukoya stated that the union’s patience is wearing thin due to the government’s insensitivity to the issues affecting its members and public universities.
The only way to avert the proposed industrial action, according to Odukoya, is for the federal government to urgently fulfill its commitments. This statement comes after ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, on May 11 and 12, 2024.
The union reviewed various unresolved issues, including the renegotiated 2009 Agreement, unpaid salaries and earned academic allowances (EAA), unremitted deductions by the IPPIS, and the proliferation of universities. Odukoya emphasized that these issues have remained unaddressed for many years, deteriorating the conditions in public universities.
He dismissed the government’s threat of a ‘no work, no pay’ policy, stating that it is not recognized in international labor laws to which Nigeria is a signatory. Odukoya also criticized the newly-constituted governing councils for federal universities as illegal, urging the government to recall them to complete their tenures in line with the University Act.
ASUU continues to advocate for proper funding of public universities, arguing that enhancing existing institutions’ capacity and competitiveness is preferable to establishing new ones. Odukoya affirmed that the union remains committed to improving public university education in Nigeria.
