A Photo File : ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has described the Federal Government’s recent appeal to suspend its proposed warning strike as belated and lacking seriousness, blaming the government for its slow and inconsistent approach to resolving long-standing issues in the education sector.

Speaking during an interview on live television, this morning, ASUU National President, Dr. Chris Piwuna, said the union is disappointed that the government only reached out two working days before the scheduled industrial action, despite being aware of the timeline.

“The problem we have with this government and the Ministry of Education is that they are very slow in responding to our demands,” Dr. Piwuna stated. “We went for a meeting in Sokoto, and at that time, we were on the verge of embarking on a strike. They requested a three-week grace period. We accepted that in good faith. But throughout those three weeks, we heard nothing from them—not even a simple update or courtesy communication.”

Dr. Piwuna added that it was only after ASUU issued a fresh warning that the government made an appeal to reconsider the strike.

“Yesterday, just two working days before our planned action, they suddenly came forward with an appeal. But our issues are not new. Our 2009 agreement — which has been under renegotiation for over eight years — remains unresolved. So, to come at the last minute and ask us to shelve our strike is not only disrespectful, but it also shows a lack of genuine commitment,” he said.

He emphasized that ASUU has demonstrated enough patience and goodwill over the years, despite repeated unfulfilled promises by successive governments.

“It’s unfortunate that we’re still discussing agreements that should have been concluded years ago. The level of neglect the education sector has suffered is alarming. We are not asking for the impossible — we’re asking for what was promised, and what is necessary to save public university education in Nigeria,” he added.

ASUU has consistently raised concerns over issues such as the underfunding of public universities, non-payment of earned academic allowances, delays in renegotiating the 2009 agreement, and the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which the union opposes.

The proposed warning strike, if it proceeds, will serve as a prelude to more extensive industrial action, ASUU warned, unless concrete steps are taken by the government to address their demands. Dr. Piwuna called on stakeholders, particularly students, parents, and civil society, to hold the government accountable for its failure to prioritize the education sector.

“Our doors have always been open. What we ask is for the government to honour its commitments. That’s the only way to ensure stability in the university system,” he concluded.

As of the time of this report, there has been no official statement from the Ministry of Education in response to ASUU’s remarks.