By Zainab Bakare
Academic Staff Union of Universities, Nsukka Zone, has warned Nigerians to hold the Federal Government responsible if public universities across the country are shut down again over unresolved welfare and agreement implementation issues.
The union issued the warning on Thursday during a press briefing held at the Benue State University campus in Makurdi.
Speaking at the briefing, the ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Christian Opata, and the union’s National Investment Officer, Celesine Aguoru, said the Federal Government had failed to fully implement the agreement reached with the union in December 2025.
According to Opata, the agreement, which was expected to take effect from January 2026, has suffered setbacks due to inadequate financial backing from the government.
He explained that only partial components of the agreement had been implemented, while key welfare packages including Consolidated
Tools Allowances, Earned Academic
Allowances, and Professorial Allowances had yet to be incorporated into the Consolidated Academic Staff Salary Structure.
Opata expressed concern that lingering issues affecting university lecturers remained unresolved despite previous commitments by the government.
“As of the time of this press conference, arrears arising from the 25–35 per cent salary award, promotion arrears, unpaid third-party deductions including check-off dues, cooperative contributions, pension remittances, salary shortfalls linked to IPPIS, and the withheld three-and-a-half months salaries from the 2022 ASUU strike are yet to be paid,” he stated.
The ASUU leader further accused the Federal Government of failing to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee agreed upon in the 2025 pact to ensure proper execution of the agreement and prevent bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He noted that the absence of the committee had already affected the smooth implementation of major aspects of the agreement.
Opata also criticised the proposed National Research Council announced in April by the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, saying ASUU was excluded from the process despite being a key stakeholder in the education sector.
Corroborating the concerns raised by the zonal coordinator, Aguoru said Nigerians should hold the government accountable if universities are forced into another industrial action.
“If agreements signed by both parties cannot be respected by the government, Nigerians should hold the government responsible if universities are shut down again,” Aguoru said.
He maintained that the union was not eager to embark on another strike but urged Nigerians to prevail on the government to address ASUU’s demands and prevent further disruption in the university system.
The latest warning comes despite repeated assurances by the current administration that it would end the recurring industrial disputes and prolonged shutdowns that have plagued Nigeria’s public universities over the years.
