The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned of a potential indefinite strike due to the Federal Government’s failure to honor its 2009 agreement with the union. This was disclosed by Prof. Timothy Namo, ASUU’s Bauchi Zonal Coordinator, during a press briefing held in Jos on Friday.
Namo explained that following the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, held between August 17 and 18, a 21-day ultimatum was issued to the government. However, he noted that none of the agreements had been fulfilled. “After the 21-day ultimatum expired, we issued another 14-day notice, which began on September 23. If ASUU eventually embarks on a strike and public universities are shut down, Nigerians should hold the federal government responsible,” he said.
Among the unresolved issues, Namo listed the incomplete renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, non-payment of three-and-a-half months’ salaries for academic staff, unpaid wages for adjunct lecturers, outstanding third-party deductions, inadequate funding for the revitalization of public universities, delayed payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) as outlined in the 2023 budget, and the proliferation of universities without addressing these concerns. Additionally, he highlighted the government’s failure to implement the recommendations of visitation panels to universities.
