The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 35-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address the lingering crises threatening the public university system.
The union’s National Executive Council (NEC), which met at the University of Ibadan from August 17 to 18, 2024, initially gave the government a 21-day ultimatum.
However, following the government’s lack of response, ASUU extended the ultimatum by another 14 days, starting from September 23, 2024.
In a statement, Stanley Ogoun, Zonal Coordinator of the Port Harcourt Zone, condemned the government’s insincerity in addressing the issues.
“The current administration’s anti-public university stance is reminiscent of the previous administration’s harmful policies under President Muhammadu Buhari,” Ogoun said.
The union criticised the deliberate neglect of public universities by both federal and state governments, forcing institutions to struggle for survival.
He said, “Children of the ruling class are sent to top foreign schools using allegedly embezzled public funds, while Nigerian public universities suffer.”
The union, therefore, issued a stern warning to the Federal Government, citing the administration’s failure to address long-standing contentious issues.
Ogoun stated that the key demands include the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, based on the 2022 Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement, and the implementation of the renegotiated agreement.
Other pressing concerns include funding for public university revitalisation, adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) to replace the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), and amendment of the NUC Act to curb university proliferation.
Ogoun criticised the government’s lavish expenditure on personal benefits for the ruling class, citing contract awards, presidential aircraft purchases, and luxury projects.
He argued that this contradicts claims of fund unavailability, highlighting the upsurge in FAAC monthly allocations and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s interest rate increase.
He also noted that the union seeks the release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by IPPIS, payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and resolution of outstanding third-party deductions.
Furthermore, ASUU demanded the implementation of visitation panels’ reports and an end to the illegal dissolution of Governing Councils.
Ogoun, while criticising the government’s insensitivity, which is fueling the industrial crisis in public universities, urged Nigerians to visit the ASUU website to compare the government’s policies with the ASUU’s agenda.
He called on parents, students, and the judiciary to hold the government accountable for any disruptions.
He said that the economic reasons for reviewing judiciary wages equally apply to other workers. “As patriotic citizens, let us protect Nigeria’s public space with good conscience,” Ogoun appealed.
