The Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU) on Thursday berated the Nigerian government for reneging from implementing the 2025 agreement it entered with university lecturers.
The Union also faulted government plans to scrap courses it deemed irrelevant, maintaining that such a move undermines
university autonomy and academic freedom.
Speaking during a press briefing in Benin City, Edo State, the Chairman Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Benin zone, Prof Monday Igbafen also decried
the proposed National Research Council by the Minister of Education Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa without due consumption with ASUU.
Prof Igbafen also berated the Edo, Ondo, and Delta State governments for failing to implement the 2025 agreement after five months, despite being part of the said agreement.
He said , ” the Benin Zone of ASUU resolves and demands as follows:
We condemn the partial and non-implementation of the salary component of the
2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement. This is a recipe for industrial crisis in our
universities.
“We berate the Edo, Ondo, and Delta State governments for failing to implement the agreement five months after the Federal Government’s directive. We urge them to comply immediately or face industrial action on their campuses.”
On the purposed National Research and Innovation Development Fund,
Igbafen said:“The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced plans to establish a National Research and Innovation Development Fund without any consultation with ASUU.
Even more insulting, the Minister’s proposal mentions N500 billion while ignoring the Agreement’s provision for “at least 1% of GDP for research, innovation, and
development.”
ASUU, also frowned at the attitude of the Niger State government , which the union said annexed land belonging to the Bosso Campus’ of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
“We condemn Land Grabbing in Niger State: The Niger State Government is attempting to forcefully seize the Bosso campus of the Federal University of Technology, Minna. We condemn the hijack and derailment of Nigeria’s research and development
Agreement five months after the Federal Government’s directive. We urge them to comply immediately or face industrial action on their campuses.”
On mismanagement of Universities, the Union said, “We observe irregular appointments, financial
misappropriation, and disregard for due process by governnment-appointed vice
chancellors.”
The Union added that
“our conclusion is clear: unless urgent action is
taken, we are being pushed back to the trenches. Here are the vexatious reasons for our grievance:
Distorted Implementation of Allowances: Federal university administrators should stop the
selective payment of Consolidated Academic Tool Allowances (CATA)” . The concluded.
