By Adamu Yusuf; Editing by Khadija Kubau
The Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it is ready to negotiate with the Kaduna State Government at any time in order to resolve the lingering issues affecting the institution.
The Chairman ASUU-KASU Comrade Abubakar Abdullahi said the union remained committed to dialogue and would welcome any invitation from the government for meaningful engagement, stressing that its priority was to restore peace and stability to the university.
He said the union was prepared to meet with the government immediately, regardless of the time, provided the engagement was aimed at finding lasting solutions to the challenges facing the university.
According to him, “Even if government calls us now, we are ready to move. Anything that will bring peace and stability to the system is what we want. Even if it is 3 a.m., wherever we are, we are ready to go and engage and find solutions to the problems.”
Comrade Abubakar Abdullahi explained that the two-week ultimatum issued by ASUU-KASU was based on a national directive, but expressed hope that dialogue between the union and the government would produce concrete solutions before the expiration of the ultimatum.
He said the union had no desire to embark on industrial action, noting that shutting down the university would negatively affect staff, students and the institution.
The chairman identified the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement as the union’s top priority, saying the agreement addressed critical issues concerning staff welfare, university administration and funding.
Comrade Abubakar Abdullahi explained that full implementation of the agreement would not only improve the welfare of academic staff but also provide a framework for addressing the funding challenges confronting universities.
The ASUU-KASU chairman recalled that the union had previously embarked on industrial action over 10 issues, three of which had since been addressed.
He commended the authorities for resolving the three issues but said seven others remained outstanding, adding that the union had continued to pursue their resolution through dialogue for nearly two years.
Comrade Abubakar Abdullahi therefore urged the Kaduna State Government and other stakeholders to seize the opportunity for renewed engagement, assuring that ASUU-KASU was willing to negotiate in good faith and work towards an amicable resolution of the crisis.
