The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has sounded a dire warning to Nigerians, placing the blame squarely on the Federal Government if the nation's public universities face another catastrophic shutdown due to an impending strike. The union made its stance clear through a statement issued by the ASUU-Nsukka Zone on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 in Makurdi, raising concerns about the government's lack of commitment to addressing long-standing issues that continue to plague Nigeria's higher education system.
In the statement titled "Let Good Conscience Prevail", Zonal Coordinator Raphael Amokaha emphasized that ASUU has done everything in its power to avert another industrial action. However, the government’s continued insincerity and failure to honor agreements with the union are setting the stage for yet another prolonged crisis in the country’s universities.
Amokaha drew attention to the painful memories of the 2022 protracted strike, which brought Nigeria's university system to a grinding halt for several months. He warned that a similar situation is now unfolding, with the same unresolved issues at the heart of the dispute. These include the failure to renegotiate the 2009 ASUU/FGN agreement, chronic underfunding of public universities, and the controversial implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payment Information System (IPPIS), which has usurped the functions of university bursary departments, undermining the autonomy of universities.
He further criticized the government's failure to pay Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), despite these entitlements being captured in the 2023 budget. “This attitude, unfortunate in its nonchalance, may be inspired by a delusional sense of conquest over ASUU,” Amokaha lamented, adding that the government’s lack of action despite its campaign promises reeks of disdain for the intellectual community.
ASUU has bent over backwards to avoid disrupting academic activities, he stressed, noting that the union has been patient in its demands. “Since the suspension of the last nationwide strike in October 2022, we have made every effort to prevent industrial action,” Amokaha stated. However, the government has largely ignored ASUU’s pleas, resorting instead to what the union describes as "delay tactics."
The statement didn’t mince words, pointing to the fact that university workers have not had a salary review in the last 15 years, making them one of the few sectors in the country stuck with stagnant wages. “We have held press interactions, staged protests, and convened town hall meetings all in an effort to avoid a strike. Yet, all these have been in vain,” Amokaha said, painting a bleak picture of the union’s failed attempts to reach an amicable resolution.
The union further condemned the government's announcement of a one-month youth confab, questioning its relevance compared to the four years of uninterrupted quality education that public universities desperately need. “Can a one-month confab secure the future of our youth more than a steady academic calendar?” ASUU asked, highlighting the government's misplaced priorities.
ASUU issued a final plea to the government, urging it to let "good conscience prevail" and take education seriously. Failure to do so, Amokaha warned, will lead to a crisis that only the government can be blamed for. “If the government frustrates us into an industrial action, it must be held solely responsible for the crisis that ensues,” he declared.
