The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has put its planned nationwide strike on hold following new promises from the Federal Government to meet its demands.
ASUU’s National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, confirmed that while the government has yet to take significant action, it has now provided a timeline for addressing key issues.
ASUU’s Key Demands
Osodeke outlined the union’s main concerns, which includes payment of revitalization funds, settlement of earned academic allowances, release of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries, renegotiation of previous agreements.
A Deadline for the Government
“When we met with the government, we were told our concerns would be addressed in the 2025 budget, with funds released immediately after its passage,” Osodeke said.
“Now that the budget has been signed into law, there is no excuse for the government not to act. We are giving them until the end of March to fulfill their promises before deciding our next steps.”
While ASUU remains skeptical due to past unfulfilled commitments, Osodeke stated that the union is willing to give the government the benefit of the doubt, especially since there is some evidence of commitment in the 2025 budget.
“We don’t rely on promises alone—we need concrete action,” he emphasized. “But this time, the Accountant General of the Federation is involved, which gives us some assurance.”
Ongoing Tensions with the Government
ASUU and the federal government have been at odds over several unresolved issues, including:
1. Finalizing the FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s 2021 draft
2. Payment of withheld salaries from the 2022 strike
3. Outstanding salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the IPPIS payroll system
4. Unpaid third-party deductions, such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions
5. Funding for public university revitalization
6. Implementation of visitation panel reports
7. Replacement of IPPIS with University Transparency and Accountability Solutions (UTAS)
Despite ongoing frustrations, ASUU says it is willing to wait until the end of March before taking further action. Whether the government will follow through on its commitments remains to be seen.
