The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a warning to the Federal and State Governments, urging them to address long-standing issues to avert an impending industrial crisis in Nigeria’s public universities.
In a statement signed by its President, Christopher Piwuna, the union expressed growing frustration among its members, citing poor welfare, inadequate funding, and the government’s failure to honour signed agreements.
The warning comes in response to a recent declaration by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who stated, not again ever in this country will ASUU or tertiary institutions…go on strike. While the minister hinged this optimism on a strategy of dialogue and meeting union demands, ASUU insists that action must follow words.
“While ASUU share his optimism about dialogue and maintaining relationships, the government needs to go beyond words and act on our outstanding issues,” the union said.
Piwuna expressed frustration over the pervasive blame on universities for producing unemployable graduates despite these challenges, saying lecturers feel forgotten and demoralised.
ASUU criticised the failure of the government to honour collective bargaining agreements, specifically the unresolved renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement.
On governance issues, ASUU expressed concern about political interference in Vice-Chancellor appointments, highlighting the controversy surrounding the Acting Vice Chancellor of Alvan Ikoku University of Education, whose promotions were fraught with a lot of contradictions.
The union appealed to federal government and stakeholders to prevent another strike by addressing the lingering labour issues in the Nigerian University System.
RN
