ASUU warns of strike resumption over unpaid salaries

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has expressed displeasure that the suspension of its two-week warning strike has not yielded the desired results, as the Federal Government has failed to meet its demands.

The union gave the warning today in a statement signed by the University of Jos branch chairman, Prof. Jurbe Molwus.

Recall that ASUU had in October declared a total and comprehensive warning strike starting from Monday, October 13, demanding the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, the release of the withheld three and a half months’ salaries, sustainable funding of public universities, revitalisation of public institutions, among others.

However, midway through the two weeks, the warning strike was called off after an emergency meeting between government officials and union leaders, as announced by ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, following an agreement to resolve the lingering issues.

But in a statement, the UNIJOS chairman lamented that the government had made no significant progress in addressing the union’s demands despite the suspension of the strike.

“We expect that some of the outstanding entitlements, such as 3.5 months of withheld salaries, 25/35% wage award arrears, promotion arrears, and unpaid salaries of some members, would have been paid to university workers by now.”

“But all we get are press releases by the Honourable Minister of Education. What we need are credit alerts, not media statements,” Molwus said.

The union leader expressed concern over the pace of implementation of agreements reached with the Federal Government and called for transparency in the release of intervention funds.

“It is unfortunate that even the ₦50 billion revitalisation fund the FGN reportedly released some weeks ago is yet to reach the universities.

“Again, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, was quoted to have said in a recent release that ‘the FG has released ₦2.3 billion to clear salary and promotion arrears in all federal universities.’ But as we speak, university workers have yet to receive such payments,” he stated.

He further called on the Ministry of Education to provide clarity on how the funds would be allocated and urged for closer collaboration with the Ministry of State for Education in addressing the lingering issues.

Molwus appealed to President Bola Tinubu to prioritise the education sector and ensure that all pending issues between the government and the university unions are resolved amicably.

Molwus urged the press, students, parents, and other stakeholders to call on the government to do the needful and address the union’s demands.

He disclosed that the union had given the government a deadline of November 21, 2025, to meet its demands, failing which it may resume its suspended strike.

“We hereby call on the press, students, parents, other stakeholders, and the general public to call on the FGN to do the needful so that ASUU is not blamed if and when it resumes its suspended strike in the next two weeks. For clarity, the four weeks given to the FGN will lapse on November 21, 2025.

“As ASUU mobilises for its National Executive Council meeting scheduled to hold on November 8 and 9, 2025, we expect that some of the outstanding entitlements would have been settled.

“We hereby state for the avoidance of doubt that the strike was only suspended as a mark of respect and demonstration of goodwill in collective bargaining. So, we expect the FGN to reciprocate by satisfactorily addressing our demands without further delays,” he concluded.