Nigerian Varsity Academic Staff Union Threatens Fresh Strike Over FG Unfulfilled Agreement

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened a nationwide strike, accusing the Federal Government of failing to follow long-standing commitments to revitalise and properly support Nigeria’s public universities.

During a press conference at the University of Jos on Thursday, ASUU President Christopher Piwuna stated that academics had been subjected to the government’s broken promises and delay tactics for over two years.

Piwuna identified unresolved difficulties as the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, outstanding wage arrears, withholding promotions, and the well-being of retiring lecturers.

The general public should also note that ASUU has written several letters to the FGN drawing its attention to the need to resolve this crisis amicably. Lamentably, the FGN has always turned a deaf ear to all our pleas,” the ASUU president said.

“As always, it is the FGN that has consistently pushed our union to embark on a strike action, and it is clear that ASUU may have no other option than to embark on an action to press the FGN to listen to our demands and do the needful.

“The government made promises on these issues. Regrettably, we are here today to inform the Nigerian public, through you, that these undisputed issues could lead to a crisis in our educational sector have met, as with other consequences, nothing but the same response,” he said.

The ASUU chief rejected the government’s proposed tertiary institutions staff support fund loan scheme, describing it as a trap.

“Our members do not need loans. What we need is the implementation of agreements that will improve our purchasing power. Government is still owing us three months’ salaries, yet they are asking us to borrow money,” he said.