From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders in the education sector to fully implement the 2025 ASUU/FGN Agreement to avert a looming industrial crisis in the nation’s universities.
The union expressed concern over what it described as the government’s lukewarm attitude towards the implementation of the agreement signed on January 14, 2025, warning that continued delays could trigger another nationwide strike.
Speaking at a press briefing in Makurdi on Thursday, the ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Nsukka Zone, Comrade Christian Opata, lamented that five months after the agreement was signed, several key provisions had yet to be implemented.
Opata disclosed that the Nsukka Zone comprises eight universities, including Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi; Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM); Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT); Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUSHO); Kogi State University, Anyigba (KSU); Federal University Lokoja (FUL); Federal University Wukari (FUW); and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
He accused the Federal Government of repeating what he termed its “unproductive tradition” of failing to honour agreements reached with the union, recalling that the failure to implement the 2009 Agreement forced ASUU into prolonged strike actions in the past.
According to him, major financial components of the 2025 agreement, including Consolidated Tools Allowances (CATA), Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and Professorial Allowances (PA), have not been integrated into the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) as agreed.
Opata also faulted the Federal Government for failing to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC), which was established under the agreement to oversee its execution and prevent bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He further alleged that the government breached the agreement through the planned establishment of the National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF) without involving ASUU.
The ASUU leader criticised the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, over the announcement that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved plans for the new research fund, saying the union was sidelined despite being a major stakeholder in the agreement.
He maintained that the funding framework proposed by the government contradicted the agreement, which stipulated that at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) should be dedicated to research, innovation and development.
“Our union will always resist policies that promote asymmetrical dependency,” Opata said, questioning the basis for the Federal Government’s proposed $500 million benchmark for the fund.
The union also decried the non-payment of several outstanding entitlements owed university lecturers, including arrears from the 25–35 per cent salary award, promotion arrears, unpaid third-party deductions, pension remittances, salary shortfalls linked to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), and the withheld three-and-ahalf months’ salaries from the 2022 ASUU strike.
ASUU further raised concerns over what it described as undue interference by governing councils and university authorities in the administration of tertiary institutions.
Opata cited Benue State University as an example, alleging attempts by the Chairman of the Governing Council to overturn the appointment of a Deputy Vice Chancellor.
He also expressed concern over alleged questionable appointments and promotions to professorial positions in some universities, specifically mentioning ongoing investigations into four professorial promotions at the Federal University Lokoja.
The union lamented the poor welfare conditions of retired academics, alleging that many pensioners were denied their gratuities and pensions after retirement.
Opata cited the late Professor Targema Iorvaa of Benue State University, who reportedly died without receiving his retirement benefits.
ASUU also opposed moves by the Federal Government to relegate indigenous languages as tools of instruction, warning that such a policy would undermine national development and contradict the National Policy on Education.
The union warned that unless the Federal Government urgently addresses the unresolved issues and fully implements the 2025 agreement, the country could witness another round of industrial unrest in the university system.
