Control1stAdmin1
From Dooshima Terkura Makurdi
In response to the consistent breach of trust and agreements by the Government of Nigeria, Academic Staff Union Of Universities (ASUU) Nsukka Zone,
The ASUU- Nsukka Zone comprises of Benue State University (BSU), Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT), Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM), Federal University Lokoja (FUL), Federal University Wukari (FUW), Federal University of Health Sciences (FUHSO), Kogi State University Anyigba (KSU) and University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN)).
want to use this opportunity to alert Nigerians, especially our students and the parents/ guardians, that there is a gathering storm, a storm that if unchecked would metamorphose to a crisis of unquantifiable magnitude.
The Zonk Coordinator, Christian Chukwuma Opata said the union has been dialoguing with the government for over a decade on the same issues.
“Agreements were reached, timelines were given, but each time, the government would brazenly and unashamedly jettison the agreements. We are aware that Nigerians are pleasantly surprised that for the past two years, our union have not embarked on any strike action.
“This was not because our agitations were being addressed but simply our way of demonstrating to Nigerians and the global community that we are not strike mongers, as is speculated.
“Having given the government ample time to show some element of sincerity, seriousness and display some level of humanity, we have no option but to put them and the public on notice that we may go back to the trenches.”
According to him, “The bones of contention are legion but prominent among them are the renegotiation of 2009 Agreement between ASUU and FGN (Federal Government of Nigeria), the gradual and purposeful erosion of university autonomy, the tactical withdrawal from the principles of collective bargaining, refusal to revitalize public universities, non-payment of withheld and outstanding salaries of our members for a work they have done.
Others include “non-payment of promotion arrears to staff, the criminal withholding of third party deduction, the non-payment of the 25-35% wage increase, the starving of universities of funds and the attempt to railroad our members into slavery in the name of loan; the controversial Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF).
“The latter is a testament that the excuse given by the government to the effect that there is no money to fund education appropriately is a ruse. The insincerity of the government is laid bare by their recent action of setting aside agreements of Committees which they used taxpayers’ money to establish.
“They not only waste man-hours of seasoned Nigerians but also toy with the resources which they claim are not available. If not, how do we explain that from the Wale Babalakin to the Munzali Jibril, Nimi Briggs and now the Yayale Ahmed Committee, the recommendations of these committees of eminent Nigerians, chosen by the same government, were treated with ignominy.
“Under current administration, the renegotiated Agreement of the Yayale Ahmed led Renegotiation Committee was submitted to the government since February 2025, after some preliminary challenges, largely occasioned by the government and its agents.
“Unfortunately, nothing meaningful has been done on the report since then. If the government is deliberately testing our will, it is time for us to respond.”
The union, therefore, called on all Nigerians and the global community to impress on the federal government to attend to the issues before it is too late.
He noted that the antics of summoning the union to meetings that the resolutions reached at such meetings would not be honoured are not only nauseating but unacceptable saying they may be forced not to honour any meeting they summon until they show commitment.
He flayed the continued pauperization of Nigerian academics describing it as unacceptable.
He said the struggle would continued until the government changes its mind to better the lots of the academics and working conditions within the educational system and in tandem with global standards, as it used to be in the immediate post independent era.
The Immediate past Zonal Coordinator, Ralph Amokaha and the chairperson of ASUU Kogi State University, (KSU) Anyigba, Daniel Aina, who reiterated that ASUU members are not strike monger urged the federal government to Doo the needful and stop making them look like trouble makers.
