The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has appealed to the National Peace Committee for intervention in its ongoing dispute with the Nigerian government, as it aims to avert a planned strike set for October. The Lagos Zone of ASUU, under the leadership of Professor Adelaja Odukoya, made this request on Sunday, citing the government’s failure to fulfill the union’s demands.
On Monday, ASUU issued a 14-day ultimatum for the government to address the issues raised, following a previous 21-day strike notice issued at the conclusion of its National Executive Council meeting on August 18. Despite discussions held between Education Minister Tahir Mamman and the union from August 28 to September 6, ASUU claimed that the government’s response was inadequate, prompting the new ultimatum.
The union criticized the government for its lack of provision of agreement documents and meeting minutes from recent interactions, accusing it of neglecting the welfare of academic staff. ASUU called upon Nigerians, including the National Peace Committee, labor unions, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and political figures, to encourage the government to resolve the crisis before the ultimatum lapses on October 6.
ASUU asserted that it should not be held responsible for any disruptions to the university system that may arise from the government’s “inability and deliberate refusal” to meet its demands. The union emphasized the importance of resolving the issues in accordance with the collective bargaining principles set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Furthermore, ASUU condemned the government’s proposal to amend the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act to allocate 30% of its funds to the student loan scheme, labeling it as President Bola Tinubu’s “grandiose pet project.” The union has consistently opposed this initiative and has declined a position on the board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
ASUU’s demands include renegotiating the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, payment of three-and-a-half months’ salaries withheld during the 2022 strike, discontinuation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for university workers’ salaries, settlement of earned academic allowances, provision of funds for university revitalization, and implementation of reports from university visitation panels.
