 has told the Nigerian Senate that the ongoing two-week warning strike will not end unless the federal government takes concrete steps){kind=link}
By Fatima Mukhtar
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has told the Nigerian Senate that the ongoing two-week warning strike will not end unless the federal government takes concrete steps to improve funding for public universities.
ASUU’s National President,Professor Chris Piwuna, made this known during a meeting with members of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND in Abuja. He said the union’s demands include better research funding, improved infrastructure, and a review of lecturers’ salaries, which he described as “the lowest in Africa.”
The current strike, which entered its fifth day on Friday, began on Monday, October 13. It was triggered by what the union called the government’s poor handling of university affairs, particularly the alleged plan by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to take over part of the land belonging to the University of Abuja.
Another contentious issue, according to ASUU, is the Ministry of Education’s decision to share part of the ₦50 billion allocated to universities with polytechnics and colleges of education. The union insists that such diversion undermines the autonomy and development of the university system.
ASUU, however, commended President Bola Tinubu for approving ₦150 billion for universities and introducing a seven-year moratorium on establishing new public tertiary institutions. It urged the Senate to ensure that the full amount is released and utilized appropriately.
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee has appealed to both sides to reach a compromise to avoid further disruption of the academic calendar. Lawmakers are expected to meet again with the Minister of Education and the FCT Minister early next week to resolve the issues.
Observers say the Senate’s intervention could determine whether the strike remains a temporary warning or escalates into another nationwide shutdown of Nigerian universities.
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