ASUU threatens nationwide strike, accuses FG of stalling 2009 agreement renegotiation

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that a nationwide strike is imminent, accusing the federal government of frustrating efforts to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN–ASUU Agreement.

Coordinator of the union’s Ibadan Zone, Prof. Biodun Olaniran, issued the warning on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.

He alleged that government officials were misleading the public and slowing down negotiations despite an ongoing one-month deadline.

According to him, ASUU’s core demand is the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement to produce a new salary structure to replace the current Consolidated University Salary Scale (CONUASS), which he said has been eroded by years of inflation.

The Ibadan Zone comprises the University of Ibadan; University of Ilorin; LAUTECH, Ogbomoso; Osun State University; Kwara State University, Malete; and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo.

Flanked by other union leaders, Olaniran said the government’s handling of the dispute lacked seriousness, noting that “eight days to the expiration of the one-month window, nothing significant has been achieved beyond misinformation and propaganda.”

He acknowledged the release of part of outstanding promotion arrears and third-party deductions but insisted these did not address the substantive issues.

Olaniran said the recent NEC meeting held in Jalingo reviewed the situation and expressed concern over the impact of insecurity and hardship on university lecturers.

He warned that unless the government immediately presents a competitive salary offer, public university students may face another round of academic disruption.

He disclosed that ASUU had rejected the government’s counter-offers, describing them as “ridiculous” for lecturers who have earned the same salaries for 16 years.

He added that Nigerian academics now earn less than counterparts in several West African countries, while political office holders remain among the highest paid on the continent.

The union also decried the continued withholding of three and half months’ salaries of federal university lecturers from the 2022 strike, adding that many state universities have yet to pay withheld salaries, promotion arrears and Earned Academic Allowances (EAA).

Olaniran cited Osun State University and LAUTECH among institutions still owing various arrears, describing the situation as “anti-labour and inhumane.”

ASUU, he said, demands the unconditional payment of all withheld salaries, arrears and outstanding allowances as part of measures to avert a looming national shutdown of public universities.