ASUU issues 14-day ultimatum to Federal Government
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has handed the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to resolve long-standing issues affecting lecturers and the university system. The decision follows the expiration of a previous 21-day warning, which ended without concrete government action.
Among ASUU’s core demands are the renegotiation of the 2009 FG-ASUU Agreement using the Nimi Briggs Committee’s draft of 2021, the release of withheld salaries from the 2022 strike, and the payment of outstanding allowances and third-party deductions such as check-off dues. The union also emphasized the need for better funding to revitalize public universities, the settlement of Earned Academic Allowances, and the removal of universities from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to safeguard institutional autonomy.
ASUU President Emmanuel Osodeke stated that the union would not be held responsible for any industrial unrest if the government fails to act within the given timeframe. He stressed that lecturers have been patient for too long and that the persistent neglect of agreements threatens the future of higher education in Nigeria.
The ultimatum has raised concerns about another potential nationwide strike, which could disrupt academic calendars and further strain relations between the government and university workers. Stakeholders in the education sector are urging urgent dialogue to prevent another shutdown of Nigeria’s public universities.
