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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed alarm over the failure of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to fulfill promises aimed at addressing the longstanding issues that led to the recent nationwide strike. Speaking at a press conference in Umuahia, Abia State, ASUU’s National President, Emmanuel Osodeke, highlighted the union’s concerns following a comprehensive review of engagements with Federal and State Governments.
Osodeke underscored the dire consequences of unmet promises, citing reports of increasing fatalities and life-threatening ailments among Nigerian academics due to work-related stress and chronic impoverishment. He emphasized ASUU’s commitment to updating Nigerians on developments since the suspension of the last national strike action in October 2022 and engagements with the current administration.
ASUU’s focus areas for renegotiation include the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, withheld salary arrears, earned academic allowances, dissolution of governing councils, payroll information system, curriculum standards, university proliferation, and issues at specific institutions like the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Highlighting the prolonged delay in renegotiating the FGN/ASUU agreement, Osodeke expressed dismay over the Federal Government’s reluctance to address the backlog of earned academic allowances, despite budgetary allocations. He questioned the necessity for further strike actions to secure entitlements already budgeted for, urging expedited action from the government.
In addition to economic concerns, ASUU addressed the deepening socio-economic crisis exacerbating insecurity in Nigeria. The union urged the government to expedite the process of establishing a minimum living wage as demanded by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). Furthermore, ASUU called for a review of IMF/World Bank economic policies, which are negatively impacting the quality of life for Nigerians.
