By Abimbola Ogunnaike
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened that it may go on strike if the federal government fails to review its members’ salaries and adequately fund universities.
The Chairman of the ASUU Calabar Zone, Comrade Happiness Uduk, made this disclosure during a press conference on Monday, 27 May, 2024.
Uduk voiced the concerns on behalf of chairpersons from various universities including Abia State University, Akwa Ibom State University, Ebonyi State University, Federal University Ndufu-Alike, University of Cross River State, University of Calabar, and University of Uyo.
According to Uduk, university lecturers’ salaries have not been reviewed in 15 years, despite other sectors like the legislature, police, armed forces, and judiciary having their salaries renegotiated multiple times within the same period.
She also lamented that since the initial release of N200 billion from the N1.3 trillion promised by the federal government in 2013 to revitalise public universities, no further funds have been disbursed.
This is in stark contrast to the government spending N90 billion on pilgrimages while neglecting the education sector, he said.
Meanwhile, the Abuja zone of ASUU has expressed discontent over the continued payment of members’ salaries through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), despite the federal government’s directive to remove tertiary institutions from the platform four months ago.
ASUU coordinator of the Abuja zone, Salahu Mohammed Lawal, stated this yesterday during a press conference in Abuja.
The zone comprises the University of Abuja; Federal University, Lafia; Federal University of Technology, Minna; Ibrahim Badamasi University, Lapai, and Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
He noted that this action violates the understanding reached at the January 11, 2024 stakeholders’ meeting at the National Universities Commission (NUC).
