The Ministry of Education is taking action to prevent a looming strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), after the union issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government. The ultimatum is centered on unresolved issues, including unpaid salaries and insufficient funding for public universities. ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, warned that failure to meet their demands could result in industrial action.
According to the Director of Press at the ministry, Folasade Biriowo, teams have already been mobilized to address the union’s concerns. “Everything is being done to prevent the strike from happening,” Biriowo said in an interview in Abuja on Sunday.
Key ASUU Demands:
- Conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021.
- Release of withheld salaries due to the 2022 strike.
- Payment of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments.
- Funding for the revitalization of public universities, as outlined in the 2023 Federal Budget.
- Payment of Earned Academic Allowances.
- Adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a replacement for IPPIS.
ASUU has expressed frustration with the government’s perceived lack of commitment and has warned that the union will not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony if the issues remain unresolved by the end of the ultimatum.
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is reportedly working to address ASUU’s demands in order to avoid another strike.
