The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of failing to fulfill several promises made to the union, despite their prolonged patience. This was disclosed by ASUU President, Professor Victor Osodeke, during a phone interview with SaharaReporters on Monday.
Professor Osodeke highlighted that the union has been waiting for over three years for the federal government to meet its commitments, but no meaningful progress has been achieved. He expressed disappointment over the government’s failure to address key issues, warning that ASUU may resort to industrial action in January 2025 if the situation remains unresolved.
“The government has made numerous promises, but all we see is a series of games being played. For instance, lecturers are still owed arrears for the period between January and December 2023,” Osodeke said. He added that the prolonged lack of action has left university lecturers “exhausted.”
He also criticized the government’s failure to release funds for the improvement of university infrastructure, despite earlier announcements. “Earlier this year, the government approved a N300 billion NEEDS assessment fund for universities. However, despite being included in the budget, there has been no actual disbursement,” he revealed.
Another pressing issue is the continued use of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), which ASUU has long criticized for its inefficiencies and lack of compatibility with university operations. IPPIS, a centralized payroll system introduced by the federal government as part of public service reforms, has faced backlash from ASUU, which argues that it disrupts university autonomy.
“We raised concerns about IPPIS, and the government claimed to have addressed them by introducing GIFMIS (Government Integrated Financial Management Information System). However, it turns out GIFMIS is just the same thing as IPPIS, with no real difference,” Osodeke said.
The ASUU President further stated that discussions with a government committee to address these issues have been unproductive. He explained that while the committee promised to consult higher authorities to reach a resolution, ASUU has heard nothing from the government in the past two weeks.
Frustrated by the lack of progress, ASUU has indicated that it may declare a strike in January. “We will meet in January, and there is a possibility that we may declare a strike. The exact timing will be communicated,” Osodeke said.
The warning follows a similar ultimatum issued by ASUU in September 2024. At that time, the union threatened to go on strike, giving the government a 14-day deadline to meet its demands. This was in addition to an earlier 21-day ultimatum issued on September 23, 2024.
ASUU warned the federal government that failure to address its demands would lead to industrial action, emphasizing that the union should not be blamed for any disruption to academic activities. However, despite the ultimatum, ASUU refrained from declaring a strike at that time.
Key issues raised by ASUU include:
- Unpaid arrears for lecturers spanning the entire year of 2023.
- Non-disbursement of the N300 billion NEEDS assessment fund for university infrastructure development.
- Continued challenges with IPPIS and its perceived substitute, GIFMIS.
ASUU’s grievances and the looming threat of industrial action highlight persistent challenges in Nigeria’s education sector, with concerns about the government’s commitment to addressing the needs of higher education institutions and their staff.
