The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a bold ultimatum to the Nigerian government, demanding the immediate implementation of the long-overdue 2009 FG/ASUU agreement or face a crippling nationwide strike that could once again paralyse academic activities across public universities.
At a press conference in Abuja on Friday, ASUU National President, Dr. Chris Piwuna, delivered a scathing critique of the government’s continued neglect of critical issues plaguing Nigeria’s public university system. He described the situation as a “gross betrayal of trust” and warned that the current trajectory spells doom for the future of tertiary education in the country.
“This is not just about ASUU. It is about the soul of Nigeria’s higher education. We are being pushed to the wall,” Dr. Piwuna stated emphatically.
A Catalogue of Broken Promises
According to Piwuna, nine pivotal issues remain unresolved, most notably the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement which has been suspended since 2017, leaving a trail of unmet expectations. He accused the Federal Government of reneging on its own commitments, despite repeated assurances.
Some of the major grievances include:
Withheld salaries of lecturers who participated in the 2022 industrial action;
Unpaid entitlements due to the unpopular Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS);
Delayed release of revitalisation funds and earned academic allowances;
The unfulfilled promise to inject ₦150 billion into university infrastructure and regularise allowances by 2026.
“These commitments are becoming empty rhetoric. Our members continue to endure economic hardship due to the government’s habitual neglect and lack of political will,” Piwuna declared.
The ASUU president also decried the worsening plight of lecturers in state-owned universities, singling out institutions such as Kogi State University and Lagos State University. He alleged that lecturers are being subjected to victimisation, job insecurity, and in some cases, outright denial of salaries.
“This mistreatment is not only demoralising staff but actively eroding the quality of education. No nation can prosper by undermining its knowledge producers,” he warned.
Piwuna raised red flags over increasing political interference in the appointment of university leadership, describing it as a direct threat to university autonomy and academic excellence. He pointed to troubling developments at Nnamdi Azikiwe University and the University of Abuja, where merit-based selection processes are allegedly being hijacked for political gain.
“Universities are becoming battlegrounds for political and economic interests, and that is unacceptable. Autonomy must be defended and respected,” he insisted.
In a bid to avert what could become a prolonged crisis, ASUU called for an urgent National Education Summit. The proposed summit, according to Piwuna, should be an inclusive gathering of stakeholders from across the academic, civil, and political spectrum to deliberate on sustainable funding models, university autonomy, and improved staff welfare.
“Education empowers citizens, drives innovation, and shapes values. Without a thriving university system, our national development remains a pipe dream,” he stressed.
While reiterating ASUU’s openness to meaningful dialogue, Piwuna made it abundantly clear that the union’s patience is wearing thin. If the government fails to act, he warned, industrial action will be inevitable.
“Our universities must be transformed into centres of excellence and innovation—not zones of decay. We are ready to talk, but we will not tolerate continued erosion of our rights and dignity,” he concluded.
ASUU is now calling on all well-meaning Nigerians and international allies to rally behind its mission to rescue Nigeria’s deteriorating university system before it’s too late.
The clock is ticking, and the nation stands at a crossroads—between reform and ruin.
PIONEER NEWS 