The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has sounded a serious warning to the Federal and State Governments to urgently address unresolved labour issues in the nation’s university system or risk another crippling industrial action.
ASUU, in a statement issued by its National President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, cautioned that while the union shares government’s optimism about dialogue, goodwill alone cannot replace concrete action.
Piwuna was reacting to recent remarks by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who vowed that strikes by university unions would be a thing of the past.
He lamented that lecturers across public universities are working under harsh conditions, teaching on “empty stomachs,” researching in poorly equipped libraries and laboratories, and battling mounting personal and professional challenges.
According to him, despite these constraints, politicians are quick to criticise universities for producing “unemployable graduates” while failing to provide the resources needed for innovation and quality education.
The union expressed frustration over the government’s failure to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, despite receiving a draft from the Yayale Ahmed-led committee since December 2024.
According to ASUU, successive administrations have cherry-picked aspects of agreements to implement, disregarded collective bargaining principles, and undermined the morale of intellectual workers.
ASUU also condemned political interference in the appointment of vice-chancellors, citing the controversial case at Alvan Ikoku University of Education as evidence of declining merit in leadership selection.
ASUU further accused the government of punishing lecturers for rejecting the corruption-prone Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, and of withholding cash backing for promotions for several years.
“When a government punishes its citizens for demanding what is due to them, can it have any moral claim to democratic culture?” the statement queried.
While recalling past unfulfilled promises captured in multiple Memoranda of Understanding and Action since 2013, ASUU stressed that only a binding Collective Bargaining Agreement can resolve the crisis.
Piwuna warned that government’s inaction could plunge the university system into another prolonged shutdown.
