ASUU warns Federal Govt over looming university strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has raised concerns, warning that any looming strike in Nigeria’s public universities should be blamed on the Federal Government.

In a statement signed by Dr. Salim Ahmad, the ASUU Chairman of Federal University Dutse (FUD), the union expressed frustration over unresolved issues that have caused years of instability in the country’s higher education system.

For over four years, Nigeria’s public universities have been plagued by industrial actions, leading to two major strikes that ASUU believes could have been avoided.

The union noted that it has repeatedly attempted to engage in discussions with government officials, including the President, in an effort to resolve lingering issues related to agreements and memoranda signed between the union and the government.

ASUU expressed disappointment with the current administration, accusing it of showing the same indifference as the previous government in addressing their demands. After a meeting in August 2024, ASUU gave the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum to resolve the issues, but as the deadline has passed without any action, the union is warning that tensions are building.

The failure to meet both the monetary and non-monetary demands could lead to fresh disruptions in Nigeria’s public universities, with ASUU calling on the government to take immediate steps to avoid another crisis.