ASUU Urges Federal Government to Resolve Pending Issues Ahead of Strike Deadline

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the Federal Government to fully utilise the remaining 10 days of a one-month window to address unresolved issues with the union.

The call was part of resolutions from ASUU’s National Executive Council meeting at Taraba State University, Jalingo, held on November 8–9, and outlined in a statement on Wednesday by ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna.

The union said the warning was necessary after some government officials allegedly undermined the negotiation process by misrepresenting offers and the status of agreement implementations.

ASUU had suspended a two-week warning strike on October 22, granting the government a one-month period—ending November 22—to meet its demands, which include reviewing the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government agreement, paying outstanding salaries and allowances, and disbursing the university revitalisation fund.

The union cautioned that failure to make substantial progress within the deadline would lead to the resumption of industrial action without further notice. ASUU emphasized the need for holistic measures to improve the living and working conditions of Nigerian academics, noting that current government proposals and partial payments were insufficient.

The statement highlighted that while some non-monetary aspects of the negotiations had seen progress, the salary and service condition components remain critical and require radical intervention. ASUU also dismissed claims of insufficient government funds, attributing the delays to a lack of political will rather than economic constraints.

The union appealed to traditional rulers, civil society groups, the Nigeria Labour Congress, students, and opinion leaders to continue pressuring the government to meet its obligations and provide lecturers with a living wage.