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Tor Vande-Acka
MAKURDI – The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Nsukka (ASUU-NSUKKA), Zone, has lamented that six months down the line, the Federal Government (FG), has failed to implement the 2025 agreement it had with ASUU, that was expected to commence since January, 2026.
The Union further lamented that while some universities have commenced the partial implementation of the agreement from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), of their institutions, other universities have not been able to commence implementation it at all.
Decrying the situation where the FG should have commenced implementation of the 2025 agreement in January 2026, at a press conference held in Makurdi, on Thursday, the Zonal Coordinator, ASUU-Nsukka, zone, Comrade Christian Opata, observed that the federal government has altogether abandoned the project.
The Association said it was saddened that the FG was forcing its hand to embark on another round of strike action, which it intends to use as a last resort, Opata, noted that its concerns are premised on some “sordid episodes since the signing of the said Agreement.”
According to him, “Unfortunately, the implementation of the said Agreement had remained partial, distorted, and largely abandoned. For avoidance of doubt, the Agreement stipulates that there should be an Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC).
“The FGN (Federal Government of Nigeria), is yet to inaugurate that Committee (IMC), which was designed to ensure the faithful execution of the agreement and prevent bureaucratic sabotage.
“However, part of what the IMC was meant to guard against was truncated by the FGN, thereby giving rise to the blemished implementation of another major provision of the December 2025 Agreement- the proposed National Research Council (NRC)
“Before the signing of the 2025 ASUU/FGN Agreement, the FGN forced our members to embark on strike actions over the 2009 Agreement. As it currently stands, the FGN is at it again trying to force us to embark on another round of actions over the 2025 Agreement.”
Opata, stressed that to make matters worse, on the 7th April, 2026, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had concluded plans to establish a National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF), without involving ASUU, that is a party to the agreement, insisting that it was a breach of the Agreement and a deliberate attempt to sideline ASUU.
He explained that “Contrary to the funding plan for the National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF), as stipulated in the Agreement, the FGN, as evident in the referred pronouncement of the Minister, took a different route that would promote asymmetrical dependency. Our union would always kick against any plan that promotes asymmetrical dependency.
“For avoidance of doubt, the FGN-ASUU Agreement, which clearly stipulates “at least 1% equivalent of GDP as a source of funding for research, innovation, and development.” One wonders how the Minister came about the $500 million he mentioned as being benchmarked for the fund.
“What was worse, the approach of the FGN towards several key provisions and outstanding issues recognised by the Agreement is selective rather than holistic. Under the monitory components of the Agreement, (Consolidated Tools Allowances – CATA, Earned Academic Allowances- EAA, Professorial Allowances – PA, are yet to be integrated into the Consolidated Academic Staff Salary Scale (CONUASS) as part of the monthly remuneration package for academics largely due to the government’s inability to provide the needed financial backing that would have ensured smooth implementation of these components of the 2025 Agreement.
“Consequently, many universities are yet to implement this aspect of the 2025 Agreement. Some states are foot-dragging or at best reluctant to key into the Agreement not minding that they were part of the authors of the Agreement through their Governing Councils participation in the Renegotiation that birthed the Agreement.
“It is regrettable that while the union wants to put an end to all old welfare issues, government wants them to linger. As the time of filling this press conference, arrears arising from the 25–35% salary award, promotion arrears, unpaid third-party deductions (including check-off dues, cooperative contributions, and pension remittances), salary shortfalls linked to the introduction of IPPIS, as well as the withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries resulting from the 2022 ASUU industrial action foisted on us by government remains unsettled as our members are yet to be paid.”
Further commenting on issues of undue interference by Visitors, Chairmen of Governing Councils, and other dignitaries, he also noted that even payment of pensions and gratuities are sometimes delayed or denied their members.
He pointed out that “Some of our universities are literally being corralled to the edge of a precipice by their Visitors, Chairman of the Governing Councils, Council members and Vice Chancellors through undue and unjustified interference in the running of the universities.
“A situation where a chairman of Council will arbitrarily want to upturn the appointment of a Deputy Vice Chancellor by Senate and Council members would be trembling before him like chicken beaten by a heavy rain is worrisome. This is the current situation in Benue State University (BSU). Luckily, the Senate of that university (BSU) knows its rights.
“Another worrisome development is the spate of questionable appointments and promotion of citizens who by their academic records has no business to be called professors to the rank of professors of varying nomenclatures. Currently in Nsukka zone, Federal University of Lokoja is tracking four cases of questionable promotions to the rank of professors.
“One of the greatest manifestation of insensitivity to the plight of Academics by the government of the day is witnessed among our retired and retiring colleagues. Pensions and gratuities are delayed or denied sometimes. To buttress this claim, we need to note that in Benue State University, Late Professor Targema Iorvaa of the Department of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Education, died without enjoying the benefits of his labour as he never enjoyed his pension and gratuity”, Opata stressed.
The press conference was attended by Representatives of the eight universities, in the Zone, among them, Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi; Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, (FUAM)); Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT); Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUSHO); Kogi State University, Anyigba (KSU); Federal University, Lokoja (FUL); Federal University, Wukari (FUW) and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). End
