The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged President Bola Tinubu to sign and implement the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, adhering to the collective bargaining principles outlined in the International Labour Organization Convention.
Professor Adelaja Odukoya, the coordinator of ASUU’s Lagos zone, made this appeal during a press conference at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, on Friday. ASUU emphasised that President Tinubu’s prompt action could prevent the imminent collapse of Nigeria’s public universities and avert another round of industrial action by lecturers due to the current unfavourable conditions of service.
Professor Odukoya highlighted the need for direct engagement with the President to resolve ongoing issues in public universities.
He criticised the government’s delay in signing the renegotiated agreement, finalised in 2021 after significant resource investment from both the government and ASUU. He stressed that this delay has stretched ASUU’s patience beyond its limits.
ASUU has called on the Tinubu administration to swiftly implement the agreement to prevent another industrial crisis. The union also identified several urgent issues requiring the Federal Government’s attention, including inadequate funding, the proliferation of state and federal universities, irregular payment of staff salaries, and decayed infrastructure.
The Lagos zone coordinator condemned the trend of using university establishments as constituency projects by federal and state university visitors, arguing that it hampers the proper funding and functioning of existing institutions. He called for a review and strengthening of the National University Commission laws to counteract these negative trends.
Professor Odukoya also addressed the non-payment of withheld salaries and arrears of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) since 2020, denouncing this as an inhumane and anti-labor action. He reiterated ASUU’s rejection of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), labelling it a corrupt and detrimental system forced upon the Nigerian university system by international financial institutions.
The press conference was attended by the chairpersons of seven branches, including Professor Kayode Adebayo (University of Lagos), Dr. Isaac Oyewunmi (Lagos State University, Ojo), Dr. Akolade Lapite (Lagos State University of Education), Dr. Tayo Okulaja (Lagos State University of Technology), Dr. Gbenga Akinleye (Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta), Dr. Wale Ositoye (Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun), and Dr. Wasiu Olooto (OOU).
