KEY POINTS

• ASUU accuses international interests of attempts to destabilize Nigeria’s public university system.
• ASUU demands long-overdue implementation of the 2009 agreement with the Nigerian government.
• Grievances include salary withholdings, unpaid allowances, and payroll policy challenges.

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has sounded the alarm over what it describes as a deliberate effort to destabilise Nigeria’s public university system.

In a speech delivered at the 2024 Heroes Day event in Abuja, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, accused foreign entities of intensifying efforts to erode the country’s public education framework.

ASUU’s unresolved grievances

Osodeke voiced his frustration with the government’s failure to fulfill its obligations under the 2009 agreement between ASUU and the Federal Government.

Despite numerous memorandums of understanding and action plans, the union leader lamented that key issues have yet to be addressed. He pointed to the government’s continued reliance on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), which, despite promises from the Federal Executive Council to abolish it, has remained a source of tension.

Osodeke stressed that the policy undermines the autonomy of Nigeria’s universities, a crucial principle for academic freedom and governance. ASUU’s grievances also encompass unpaid salaries, which have been withheld for over three and a half months, as well as unresolved promotional backlogs and overdue Earned Academic Allowances.

These issues, Osodeke noted, have deeply affected staff morale and the overall quality of education in Nigerian universities.

ASUU’s ongoing struggle for higher education reform

In his address, according to Punch, Osodeke lauded the unwavering dedication of ASUU members who continue to fight for the survival of Nigeria’s higher education system. “While we honor our heroes today, we are still embroiled in a battle to rescue our public universities,” he stated. “Twelve years on, we’re still negotiating the same 2009 agreement, despite numerous failed talks.”

As part of its ongoing commitment to academic excellence, ASUU has announced PhD grants of N500,000 each for deserving members of public universities. Grants will be awarded based on a rigorous selection process involving expert evaluations of submitted proposals.

On the state level, Osodeke expressed concern over the challenges ASUU members face in institutions such as Kogi State University, Lagos State University, Ebonyi State University, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.

Reports indicate that staff members advocating for the union’s objectives are facing severe repercussions. The event also recognized several key contributors to ASUU’s legacy. Among those honoured were Prof. T. Uzodinma Nwala, Prof. Bright Ekuerhare, Prof. Oye Oyediran, Mallam Bashir Kurfi, and many others who have played pivotal roles in the union’s fight for academic freedom and educational reform.