The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has extended its ultimatum to the Federal Government by another 14 days, building on the initial 21-day deadline to address unresolved issues that have caused repeated strike actions over the years.
The National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU, during a meeting at the University of Ibadan, communicated the extension to the Federal Government through the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, in a letter dated August 20, 2024. This was disclosed in a statement issued by Dr. Adeola Oyebisi Egbedokun, ASUU’s Zonal Coordinator in Akure, and made available to Nigerian Tribune.
The ongoing disputes center around the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s 2021 draft agreement. ASUU also demands the release of withheld salaries following the 2022 strike, unpaid salaries of staff on sabbatical and part-time appointments, outstanding third-party deductions, and funding for public university revitalization, which has been partly captured in the 2023 Federal Government Budget.
Other key issues include the payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), addressing the proliferation of universities by federal and state governments, the implementation of visitation panel reports, and resolving the illegal dissolution of governing councils. Additionally, ASUU continues to advocate for the replacement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) with the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), a platform developed by the union.
“Consequent upon the union’s advocacy spanning almost one decade, our union went into the renegotiation with the FGN in 2017, beginning with the Wale Babalakin-led Joint Renegotiation Committee,” the statement explained. It continued, “Unfortunately, Dr. Babalakin’s high-handedness and fixation on unworkable anti-worker ideas caused the breakdown of the negotiation.” The Federal Government later appointed Emeritus Professor Nimi Briggs to take over, leading to the 2021 draft agreement.
“Unfortunately, the agents of the Buhari government refused to approve the draft Agreement for some reasons best known to them. The current government led by Ahmed Bola Tinubu has chosen the same path as his predecessor,” the statement read.
ASUU called on the Tinubu administration to “set in motion the process leading to the review and signing of the Nimi Briggs-led renegotiation draft agreement as a mark of goodwill and hope for public universities.”
Criticizing the government’s failure to implement panel recommendations and amend the National Universities Commission (NUC) Act to prevent the proliferation of public universities, the union described the situation as “alarming” and “embarrassing.” They also expressed concern over the government’s refusal to remove universities from the IPPIS platform, despite a presidential directive and court order.
In 2020, ASUU developed UTAS as an alternative payment platform, but the government has yet to adopt it. “The government has refused to accept this alternative despite its superiority to IPPIS,” the statement added.
Reaffirming its commitment to dialogue and collective bargaining as outlined in International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, ASUU emphasized that it had consulted former presidents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to peacefully resolve the ongoing issues for the benefit of Nigeria’s public university system.
ASUU concluded by stating, “Beginning from Monday, September 23, ASUU resolved to give the Nigerian government another 14 days, in addition to the earlier 21-day, during which all lingering issues must have been concretely addressed to the satisfaction of the membership of the union.”
