Nigerian university lecturers, under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have given the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum, warning of a potential nationwide strike.

During a press briefing in July at Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, the Chairman of ASUU’s Gashua branch, Melemi Abatcha, highlighted key issues affecting the educational sector, including the need for funding to revitalize Nigerian public universities and the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.

Here are five reasons the union is threatening to initiate another nationwide strike.

Lack of funding for university revitalization

ASUU is concerned about the inadequate funding for the revitalization of Nigerian public universities, including poor infrastructure, inadequate staff and student accommodation, and insufficiently equipped laboratories and libraries.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan, Professor Ayoola Akinwole had also lamented over the insufficient allocation of resources to education, saying that was the reason the sector grappled with inadequate infrastructure, poor facilities and outdated curricula.

Renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement

The union has expressed frustration over the government’s delay in renegotiating the 2009 agreement, which has left academic staff on the same salary structure for over a decade.

ASUU had earlier urged the federal government to honour the 2009 agreement, saying “The negotiation surpassed all the delay tactics of the FGN in the last 15 years. After failing to honour the recommendations of three consecutive committees, the Federal government unilaterally awarded a paltry 25 and 35 % increase of salary without recourse to the laid down process of collective bargaining.”

Issues with IPPIS

Despite the Federal Executive Council’s directive to remove ASUU from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) since December 2023, ASUU members are still being paid through this platform, which the union finds unacceptable.

Tribune Online earlier reports that the Federal Executives Council (FCE) resided over by President Bola Tinubu directed an expedited removal of the university system from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform.

University autonomy and proliferation

ASUU is concerned about the erosion of university autonomy and the unchecked proliferation of public universities, which they believe is detrimental to the quality of education.

Unpaid allowances and withheld salaries

The backlog of earned academic allowances amounting to N50 billion and the withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries of ASUU members across the country are also significant issues fueling the threat of another strike. (Nigerian Tribune)

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