The current calm in Nigerian universities may soon be disrupted as branches of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) across the country are holding consultative meetings to respond to the government’s failure to meet their demands.
Sources within ASUU leadership revealed that chapters have started voting to decide the next course of action after the government missed two deadlines to address their concerns.
Last month, ASUU issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government on 23 September, following a previous 21-day deadline in August. Despite meetings with the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, in August and September, ASUU found the government’s response inadequate and issued another ultimatum, which expired on 6 October.
ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, criticized the government for its lack of commitment to resolving the issues. Chapters are expected to finalize their positions by Tuesday, after which the National Executive Council (NEC) will meet to make a final decision. A potential strike could affect university resumption schedules.
The dispute centers on the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement regarding salaries and working conditions, which ASUU wants to be updated according to the 2022 Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement. They also oppose the use of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for university workers, claiming it is fraudulent. Despite a promise to remove universities from IPPIS, ASUU says the government is still using a similar system.
Other demands include the release of withheld salaries from the 2022 strike, unpaid salaries for certain staff, third-party deductions, and funds for university revitalization. ASUU also opposes the proliferation of universities and calls for governance reforms, including the implementation of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a replacement f
or IPPIS.