The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a warning about the potential for an indefinite strike due to the Federal Government's failure to fulfil the terms of a 2009 agreement.
This announcement was made by Prof. Timothy Namo, the Bauchi Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, during a press conference held on Friday in Jos.
Namo explained that following a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on August 17 and 18, the union decided to issue a 21-day ultimatum to the government.
He emphasized that the government has not addressed any of the union's concerns or honoured the agreements made. After this initial period lapsed, ASUU extended the ultimatum by an additional 14 days, starting from September 23.
The union leader urged the public to hold the federal government accountable if ASUU ultimately decides to halt operations and close public universities.
He outlined several critical issues contributing to this situation, including the failure to conclude negotiations regarding the 2009 agreement, unpaid salaries for academic staff—including three and a half months owed to some—and unresolved third-party deductions.
Namo also pointed to broader systemic problems such as inadequate funding for public universities, non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances as specified in the 2023 budget, and the lack of implementation of recommendations from visitation panels to universities.
