The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government, urging it to urgently address unresolved labour issues in public universities or risk another nationwide strike.
In a statement on Saturday, ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, accused the government of neglecting critical welfare concerns and failing to honour agreements signed with the union.
The warning comes despite assurances by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, that strikes would no longer cripple Nigeria’s tertiary education system. Alausa had expressed confidence that dialogue and strong relations with union leaders would prevent further disruptions.
While welcoming the minister’s optimism, ASUU insisted that only concrete action can restore trust. “Lecturers in Nigerian public universities are, to put it mildly, not happy,” the statement read, citing poor salaries, inadequate teaching and research materials, and worsening work conditions.
The union lamented that many academics work “on empty stomachs” while funding their own research and utilities, yet are blamed for producing “unemployable graduates.”
ASUU also criticised the stalled renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, which it says has been dormant since December 2024 despite a draft agreement submitted by the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed committee. The agreement addresses conditions of service, funding, autonomy, and academic freedom.
The union accused successive governments of selectively implementing the agreement, undermining lecturers’ morale, and failing to provide the minimum standards for teaching and research. It also raised alarm over alleged political interference in university governance, including controversial vice-chancellor appointments and what it described as irregular promotions.
Calling on “all genuine patriots” to intervene, ASUU warned that academics are fed up with “excuses and tokenism” and vowed that industrial action would be inevitable if the government fails to act promptly.
