On Tuesday, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) voiced concerns over what it believes to be a targeted effort to undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s public universities.
Speaking at the 2024 ASUU Heroes Day in Abuja, ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, accused international organizations of working to destabilize the country’s higher education system, a stance he has taken as critical to ASUU’s ongoing struggle to maintain academic standards in public institutions.
During his speech, Osodeke criticized the Nigerian government’s slow response to renegotiate the ASUU-FGN 2009 Agreement. This longstanding agreement was intended to address a series of challenges within the education sector, yet it remains unresolved over a decade later.
“It is disheartening that, after twelve years, we are still pushing for the renegotiation of our 2009 Agreement with the federal government, even after multiple rounds of failed discussions,” he stated.
He also raised objections to the continued use of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) in public universities, despite earlier promises from the Federal Executive Council to remove this system from higher institutions.
According to ASUU, IPPIS imposes limitations on university autonomy and disrupts faculty payroll processes.
Adding to the union’s grievances, Osodeke highlighted the financial strain on ASUU members, citing withheld salaries for three and a half months, alongside delayed promotions, Earned Academic Allowances, and other benefits. He praised the dedication of ASUU members across the country, acknowledging their efforts and sacrifices in advocating for the improvement of Nigeria’s public universities.
The event also saw the announcement of ASUU’s new PhD grant program, which aims to support academic advancement by providing grants of N500,000 each to select faculty members from public universities. Recipients will be chosen through a competitive evaluation of their research proposals.
In a statement showing solidarity, Osodeke voiced support for ASUU members at various state universities, including Kogi State University and Lagos State University, who he claimed are “persecuted for their dedication to protecting public university education.”
