The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on another nationwide strike, accusing the Federal Government of reneging on agreements dating back to 2009.
Addressing journalists at the University of Jos on Thursday, ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said lecturers have endured years of unfulfilled promises and delay tactics. He listed unresolved issues to include the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, unpaid salary arrears, withheld promotions, and poor welfare for retired lecturers.
Piwuna dismissed the government’s proposed tertiary institutions staff loan scheme as “a trap,” insisting that what lecturers need is improved wages and the implementation of agreements, not loans. He added that many professors who served the nation for decades now receive pensions as low as ₦150,000 monthly despite soaring inflation.
The union also criticised the proliferation of universities without adequate funding, warning that the trend is eroding standards and worsening Nigeria’s global ranking.
ASUU said it would await the outcome of a scheduled meeting with the Federal Government on August 28 before deciding on a strike, but announced that its members would stage rallies across campuses next week to press their demands.
“Time is running out. We cannot continue to wait endlessly while the future of Nigerian universities is destroyed,” Piwuna declared.
The warning has rekindled fears of another nationwide strike that could disrupt academic activities across public universities.
