Enough Is Enough: ASUU Nationwide Strike Looms 

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Enough Is Enough: ASUU Nationwide Strike Looms

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a stern warning of a nationwide strike due to the Federal Government’s failure to appoint Governing Councils for Federal Universities, among other grievances.

During a press briefing at the University of Abuja, ASUU decried the absence of appointed Governing Councils and criticized what it perceived as the government’s lackadaisical approach under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu towards academic matters in Nigerian Federal Universities.

One major point of contention highlighted by ASUU was the recent salary increments of 35% for professors and 25% for other academics within the university system. The union expressed concerns that these increments could be revoked by the government at any time, viewing them as precarious wage awards.

Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the President of ASUU, emphasized the union’s frustration with the delay in addressing these issues, noting that the government has had ample time to take corrective action.

Furthermore, ASUU voiced its dissatisfaction with the dissolution of governing councils for Federal-owned universities, labeling it as illegal and contrary to established university principles. The dissolution, announced by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on June 22, 2023, following a directive from President Tinubu, was perceived as a setback for university governance.

The directive, which also encompassed the dissolution of boards of other agencies and parastatals, has exacerbated tensions between ASUU and the government, heightening the possibility of industrial action.

ASUU’s threat of a nationwide strike underscores the urgent need for the government to address key issues within the education sector and prioritize the welfare of academic staff and students. Failure to do so risks disrupting academic activities across the country, with far-reaching consequences for the Nigerian higher education system.