By Umar Dankano, Yola
The Academic staff union of Universities, ASUU has accused the federal and state governments of distortion and non imple mentation of the December 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement.
President of the Union, Professor Christo pher Piwuna made the position of the Union public at a press conference after the Union’s National Executive Council, NEC meeting held in Modibbo Adama University Yola on Monday protesting that many of the issues were unresolved and still remains unresolved to date.
Professor Piwuna listed the lingering issues to include; arrears of the 25-35% salary award, arrears of promotion,remi ttances of third-party deductions (check -off dues, corporative society deductions, pension contributions,etc), salary shortfalls arising from IPPIS application, and the withheld three-and-half months salaries occasioned by the 2022 industrial action of ASUU.
Piwuna decried that, the federal and state governments are owning ASUU members worth N5.2 Billion outstanding arrears warning that the non chanlant attitude of the govt could force fresh industrial action if nothing is done to addressed the pending issues as agreed
ASUU noted that despite repeated engagements with government authorities, little progress has been made in addressing the concerns, describing the situation as a major threat to industrial harmony within the nation’s university system.
“The increasing frustration occasioned by the seeming government’s disinterestedness in the welfare of Nigeria academics is brewing a pent-up anger which could erupt in to a new wave of industrial unrest if not addressed”. The President emphasized.
The Union also registered its displeasure with recent policy pronouncements in the education sector especially the Minis ter’s reversal of the mother-tougue policy in favour of English language for instructions in early childhood education noting that is not only retrogressive but a great loss of past gains rooted in research.
ASUU advanced that,most technologically and industrially advanced countries like China, Russia, Japan, South Korea use their indigenous languages for teaching in earliest years of schooling.
President Yiwuna stated that the Union is appealing to stakeholders in the education sector, and well-meaning citizens to prevail Governments to fully implement the new agreements reached with ASUU and to resolve other outstanding issues in the interest of parents, students, and nation at large.
“Our Union’s doors remain open for working with governments to realize all our demands .At the same time,NEC directs that an emergency meeting of NEC to be called in the next weeks to review the situation and take appropriate action as may be necessary”.Yiwuna dared.
ASUU’s warning comes amid growing concerns over the state of Nigeria’s education sector, with many experts advising the government to do the needful on time before the situation gets out of hand.
