The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared its readiness to embark on what it describes as “the mother of all strikes” unless the Federal Government urgently addresses long-standing issues surrounding the 2009 agreement.

 

Speaking at a press conference in Calabar, the University of Calabar (Unical) chapter chairman, Dr. Peter Ubi, said the union has run out of patience with the Federal Government’s continuous failure to fulfill its promises. He noted that the planned nationwide industrial action will commence once the ASUU national body gives the directive after its scheduled August 28 meeting.

Dr. Ubi outlined the union’s core demands, which include:

• Re-negotiation and full implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FG agreement

• Sustainable and adequate funding for public universities

• Revitalisation of Nigerian universities

• Payment of outstanding wage awards (25-35%)

• Three months’ salary arrears and four years of promotion arrears

• Remittance of third-party deductions, such as cooperative and union dues

 

“The government made promises on these issues, and regrettably, we are here today to inform the Nigerian public that these undisputed issues have not been resolved for several years now,” Ubi said.

 

He emphasized that ASUU has made several efforts through peaceful and strategic negotiations to avoid another strike, but the Federal Government’s consistent inaction has left the union with no alternative.

 

“Unfortunately, government, in its characteristics, has paid deaf ears to our demands and has constantly pushed our union to embark on strike.”

 

ASUU Calls for Halt in University Proliferation

 

In a related development, the Unical ASUU chapter commended the Federal Government’s seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education — a move aimed at addressing the overstretching of resources and falling academic standards.

 

Dr. Ubi, however, urged the government to extend the ban to private and state universities to curb the unchecked proliferation of substandard institutions.

 

“We are also appealing that the moratorium be extended to private institutions. We have 72 federal universities and 159 private universities, bringing the total to 339. This gives each state and the FCT an average of nine universities — not counting polytechnics and colleges of education,” he said.

Despite the moratorium, the Federal Executive Council recently approved nine new universities, a move that has sparked criticism and raised questions about the government’s policy consistency.

 

The moratorium was approved during a council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu, following a presentation by Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa, who cited under-utilised institutions, limited funding, and deteriorating academic quality as reasons for the decision.

 

As the countdown to the August 28 meeting begins, students, parents, and academic communities across the country brace for potential disruption to academic calendars — once again caught in the crossfire of unresolved government-union disputes.