By GARBA MUHAMMAD

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University of Agriculture, Zuru (FUAZ) Branch, has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the university's Governing Council and management, demanding the full implementation of the Federal Government-ASUU 2025 Agreement or face industrial action.

The decision was reached during a Special Congress held on July 28, 2026, at the university auditorium, attended by members of the ASUU National Visitation Team and the ASUU Sokoto Zone Coordinator.

In a press release signed by the Branch Chairperson, Comrade Danbauchi Ishaq Sanchi, the union expressed concern over what it described as the continued failure to implement the Federal Government-ASUU 2025 Agreement at the institution despite directives from the Federal Government.

According to the union, the Federal Government and ASUU signed the renegotiated 2025 Agreement in December 2025, providing for a 40 per cent upward review of academic emoluments and the payment of outstanding entitlements.

ASUU also recalled that the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, had reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to implementing the agreement, while funds had already been released to federal universities for the payment of five months' accumulated Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) arrears.

The union, however, lamented that the Federal University of Agriculture, Zuru, had been excluded from the implementation of the directives, thereby denying its members benefits to which they are entitled.

It further noted that FUAZ remains the only federal university established and made operational without a take-off grant, adding that despite the challenges, lecturers had continued to discharge their responsibilities with dedication and professionalism.

ASUU demanded the immediate implementation of the FGN-ASUU 2025 Agreement in its entirety at FUAZ and the immediate payment of the five months' accumulated CATA arrears alongside all outstanding financial entitlements due to its members.

The union warned that failure to meet the demands within the 21-day ultimatum, which commenced on July 29, would leave it with no option but to commence industrial action in line with its established procedures.

Sanchi appealed to the Governing Council, university management, the Federal Government and other stakeholders to urgently address the issues to avert an industrial crisis and safeguard teaching, research and learning at FUAZ.