The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has cautioned Nigerians to hold the federal government accountable if its members commence another nationwide strike soon.
To prevent the impending industrial action in public universities, ASUU has called on President Bola Tinubu to sign and implement the 2009 agreement concluded in 2021.
During a press briefing held by ASUU’s Lagos Zone at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, the union expressed concerns about the administration’s unwillingness to adequately fund education, particularly the university system. This briefing was attended by branch chairmen and other executives.
“Our members have been stretched beyond their elastic limit of patience,” said Zonal Coordinator Prof. Adelaja Odukoya, urging the federal government to act promptly in signing and implementing the renegotiated agreement to avert another crisis in public universities.
Odukoya condemned the government’s refusal to sign and implement the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, labeling it a criminal violation of collective bargaining principles as per the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention. He stressed that the renegotiated agreement, finalized in 2021 after five years of negotiations, aimed to address the declining state of universities.
The union’s demands include the signing and implementation of the renegotiated FGN/ASUU agreement, payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) and promotion arrears, release of third-party deductions, implementation of recommendations from visitation panels to federal universities, and addressing the proliferation of universities.
Odukoya highlighted ASUU’s commitment to informing the public about the issues at hand and criticized the Tinubu administration’s lack of urgency in addressing the education sector’s funding needs.
He called on the government to adopt a patriotic approach to university funding and urged President Tinubu to engage directly with ASUU’s leadership to resolve the issues.
“The President should make good his promise that no child of school age would stay at home due to avoidable industrial unrest in our ivory towers,” Odukoya added.
ASUU also appealed to Nigerians, public-spirited individuals, and education advocates to urge the government to take immediate action to save the education sector. The zonal coordinator expressed hope that the government would heed the union’s call but warned that ASUU would hold the government responsible if another crisis ensues in public universities.
