The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nsukka zone, has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government, accusing it of deliberately testing the union’s patience after consistently failing to honour agreements spanning over a decade.
The union has vowed to initiate an indefinite nationwide strike unless its demands for improved university funding and better welfare conditions for lecturers are met promptly.
During a press briefing in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Christian Chukwuma Opata, highlighted several unresolved issues, including the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FG agreement, the erosion of university autonomy, and the government’s withdrawal from collective bargaining principles.
Opata emphasised that the government’s refusal to revitalise public universities, non-payment of withheld salaries, withholding of third-party deductions, and failure to implement a 25–35% wage increase are central grievances.
Also, the union condemned the controversial Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF), describing it as an attempt to force lecturers into financial slavery.
Opata dismissed the government’s claim of insufficient funds for education as a ruse, pointing to the TISSF scheme as evidence of available resources. He called on Nigerians and the global community to urge the government to address these issues before the situation escalates.
The union also criticised the government’s tactic of summoning meetings without implementing resolutions, declaring such actions unacceptable and nauseating.
The Nsukka zone’s warning aligns with nationwide protests organised by ASUU branches, including the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where members expressed readiness to join a nationwide strike if demands remain unmet.
Key issues include the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement, unpaid salaries spanning three and a half months, and the non-payment of wage awards and promotion arrears. The union has called for urgent government action to avoid disrupting academic activities across Nigerian universities.
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cc: Daily Trust NG
