The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has asked Nigerians to hold the Federal Government responsible for the looming paralysis in the nation’s universities.
The union’s Benin Zone gave the charge on Monday at a press briefing held at Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Delta State.
Speaking on behalf of ASUU chairmen from universities under the zone, Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Monday Igbafen, lamented that Nigerian scholars remain “the most marginalised” in the country.
“We want to tell Nigerians not to hold ASUU responsible, but hold the Federal Government responsible for the paralysis that will befall Nigerian universities in the coming days,” Igbafen declared.
The coordinator listed institutions in the zone, including the University of Benin, Ambrose Alli University, Adekunle Ajasin University, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Delta State University, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, University of Delta, Dennis Osadebay University, and Southern Delta University.
He accused the government of reneging on promises made since the suspension of the last strike in October 2022.
“The Federal Government is yet to make good its promise to review our dismal conditions of service. It is yet to sign the draft renegotiated 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, which our union views as a significant milestone,” he said.
Igbafen lamented that lecturers have endured 16 years of “abysmally poor” salary structure, worsened by unpaid arrears and withheld salaries.
“At the moment, the Federal Government is still unwilling to pay up years of arrears of promotion entitlements, continues to pay lip service to funding education, and is reluctant to release our withheld three and a half months’ salaries and third-party deductions,” he stated.
He described the situation as “unimaginable” given the daily rise in the cost of living, stressing that the education sector was “on the precipice.”
ASUU called on Nigerians, including students, parents, civil society groups, the Nigerian Labour Congress, and other stakeholders to intervene and pressure the government to act.
“It is on this basis that we call on all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Federal and State Governments to honour their agreements with ASUU and prevent the sector from sliding further into decay,” Igbafen appealed.
He added that lecturers do not delight in strike actions but have been left with no alternative, noting that “top government officials care little because their children study abroad.”
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