The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has given the Federal and State Governments a 21-day ultimatum to resolve ongoing issues affecting the country’s public universities.
This ultimatum was announced by ASUU’s National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, during a press briefing held on Wednesday at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.
Professor Osodeke informed the public that the ultimatum stems from discussions held during ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, on August 17 and 18, 2024.
He emphasized that if the government fails to address the union’s concerns within the 21-day timeframe, ASUU will reconvene to decide on further actions, which could include industrial action.
The union expressed dissatisfaction with both Federal and State Governments for their reluctance to tackle the issues raised by ASUU. Professor Osodeke specifically mentioned the slow response of the Minister of Education in addressing the union’s concerns.
ASUU’s demands include the review and signing of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, better funding for public universities, and the disbursement of the Emergency Revitalisation Fund. The union is also asking for the payment of outstanding earned academic allowances, release of withheld salaries, promotion arrears, and third-party deductions for university staff.
Further grievances include the alleged illegal recruitments in universities, the unchecked growth of public universities, and violations of university laws and regulations. ASUU is also pushing for the removal of public universities from the Treasury Single Account and a review of the new Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), arguing that these measures hinder university autonomy.
The union’s president also voiced concerns about unfulfilled promises by the government to resolve the issues that led to the ASUU strike from February to October 2022.
ASUU has designated September 10, 2024, as “Victimised Lecturers’ Day” to show support for lecturers facing unjust treatment across various universities, including Lagos State University, Kogi State University, and the Federal University of Technology Owerri.
Professor Osodeke also criticized the government’s decision to divert funds from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to the Students’ Education Loan Scheme, arguing that this move contradicts the purpose of the fund, which was originally established to support higher education infrastructure.
The press briefing was attended by ASUU officials, including Professor Dennis Aribodor, the Zonal Coordinator for ASUU Owerri Zone, among other union members.
