ASUU Sounds Alarm: 14-Day Ultimatum To FG As Strike Looms

By ANITA KNIGHT

NIGERIA’S ivory towers may soon be silenced again. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has fired a fresh warning shot at the Federal Government, issuing a 14-day ultimatum to address long-standing grievances or face another round of strikes that could cripple the academic calendar nationwide.

The decision, announced after an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on 28 September at Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja), underscores the union’s frustration with what it calls the government’s “habit of paying little or no attention” to higher education.

In a statement signed by ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, the union said previous rallies, press conferences, and peaceful pleas had been ignored, leaving academics with no choice but to consider drastic action.

“If at the end of the 14 days ultimatum, the Federal Government fails to address these issues, the Union may have no option than to, first, embark on a two-week warning strike and thereafter, a total and indefinite strike,” the notice read.

The Issues at Stake

At the heart of ASUU’s demands is the 2009 FG/ASUU Agreement, which remains largely unimplemented. The union listed its key grievances:

• Renegotiation of the 2009 agreement.

• Sustainable and increased funding for universities.

• Revitalisation of public universities.

• Ending alleged victimisation of members in LASU, KSU, and FUTO.

• Payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears.

• Long-delayed staff promotions (over four years).

• Settlement of unpaid third-party deductions.

According to ASUU, these unresolved issues are not just about staff welfare but also about saving Nigeria’s public universities from collapse.

A Call for Public Support

Framing the ultimatum as a national emergency, the union appealed to Nigerians—parents, students, traditional rulers, and civil society—to pressure the government into action.

“The 14 days ultimatum is an alarm to the Nigerian Government,” Piwuna warned, invoking the proverb: “a stitch in time saves nine.”

The Bigger Picture

For students and parents, the looming strike threatens more than academic disruption; it raises questions about the value placed on education in a country struggling to compete globally. For government, it is yet another reminder that the cost of inaction may be far greater than the funds required to fix the system.

With the clock ticking, Nigerians wait anxiously: Will the government act, or will the lecture halls fall silent once again?