The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government’s latest appeal for dialogue, insisting that it will proceed with its planned strike over the government’s failure to address long-standing issues affecting public universities. In a statement issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Benin, ASUU President, Prof. Piwuna, accused the government of “deliberate neglect” of the education sector and insincerity in implementing agreements reached in previous negotiations.
According to Piwuna, the union had given the Federal Government ample time to fulfill its part of the 2020 Memorandum of Action, which includes the payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), revitalization funds for universities, implementation of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), and the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FG agreement. He said, “Our members have exercised maximum restraint and demonstrated patriotism by keeping the system running despite government’s indifference. We can no longer continue to bear the brunt of a failed commitment.
The decision of NEC is clear—unless the government acts immediately, we shall resume our suspended strike.” The union leader added that the government’s failure to prioritize education has led to decaying infrastructure, poor welfare conditions for lecturers, and mass exodus of academics to foreign institutions. Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Education has appealed to the union to reconsider its stance, urging ASUU to embrace dialogue in the interest of students and the academic calendar. The Minister of Education, in a brief statement, said the government was “working tirelessly” to resolve all pending issues and warned that industrial action would only worsen the state of the education sector. However, ASUU insists that the government’s words are no longer enough. “We have heard these promises repeatedly, but nothing changes.
It’s time for concrete action, not empty assurances,” Piwuna maintained. Students and parents have expressed mixed reactions to the development, with many appealing to both parties to find a lasting solution to prevent another disruption of the academic calendar. If ASUU goes ahead with the strike, it will be the first major industrial action by the union since 2022, when Nigerian universities were shut down for eight months.
