By Elizabeth Osayande
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a strong warning to the Federal Government of Nigeria, calling for the immediate implementation of the 2025 agreement.
The union said the agreement is focused on addressing critical issues such as salary deficits, infrastructure improvement, and employment concerns for university staff.
Briefing the press on Wednesday at the ASUU-UNILAG Secretariat, representatives of the union emphasised that government’s inaction could jeopardise the peace and effective operation of academic institutions across the nation.
ASUU’s Lagos Zone Zonal Coordinator, Adesola Nassir, articulated the union’s frustration, reminding the public that last year, the Federal Government signed the 2025 agreement, which was meant to follow up on negotiations stemming from the 2009 agreement.
“The government signed this agreement to address key issues—it is disheartening that they are failing to provide the necessary financial backing and establish the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) as stipulated,” he said. “This lack of action recreates an environment ripe for agitation.”
Nassir further highlighted that a primary focus of the agreement was the financial component, including allowances such as the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowances (CATA), Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and Professorial Allowances (PA), which were to be integrated into the Consolidated Academic Staff Salary Scale (CONUASS) starting from January 2026.
“Unfortunately, since the announcement of the agreement, it appears the government is more interested in using it for political leverage rather than genuinely resolving the underlying issues that necessitated the disruption of academic activities in the first place,” he lamented.
Commenting on the recent statements by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, suggesting that strikes would no longer disrupt academic activities, Nassir asserted, “While we appreciate the minister’s desire for stability, the reality is that without genuine commitment from the government to address the financial shortfalls and implement the necessary committees, we cannot simply turn a blind eye. Our members are deeply concerned about the current trajectory.”
He pointed out that while the Federal Government has urged universities to manage salary payments as a temporary solution, this has led to inconsistent and haphazard implementation, undermining the spirit of the agreement.
“The government’s failure to support universities financially has left them gasping for air amid increasing challenges,” Nassir said.
“Moreover, the lack of action on the IMC is particularly troubling,” he added. “The committee was intended to facilitate the agreement’s implementation and prevent bureaucratic delays, but its absence has left many of the agreement’s provisions in limbo. It’s not just about salary; our overall well-being and the effective functioning of our universities rely on addressing funding and administrative issues comprehensively.”
Nassir also shed light on various unresolved welfare matters, indicating that outstanding issues from prior strikes, such as the payment of salary arrears and withheld salaries from previous industrial actions, continue to plague the Union’s members.
“To process deductions from salaries and fail to remit them is not only unethical; it undermines trust and harms industrial harmony.
“As the Union, we will not remain silent while our members face such ongoing struggles,” Nassir warned. “We are prepared to continue our agitation until the government takes meaningful steps to resolve these critical issues.”
Article ASUU warns FG: Failure to implement 2025 agreement poses threat to university peace Live On NgGossips.
