The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi Zone, on Saturday warned that it may embark on another strike, following what it described as the federal government’s failure to address the lingering issues affecting university workers.
Speaking at a press conference in Jos, the Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Timothy Namo, said the union was disappointed that, despite earlier notices and a two-week warning strike, the government had not taken meaningful steps to resolve the outstanding matters.
The Bauchi Zone comprises six institutions: Federal University Kashere (Gombe), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (Bauchi), University of Jos (Plateau), Saadu Zungur University, Plateau State University Bokkos, and Gombe State University.
Prof. Namo, who was accompanied by zonal officials and branch chairpersons, recalled that ASUU had given the government a one-month window to conclude renegotiations and clear pending commitments. With barely a week left, he said, there was little sign of progress.
“The paltry increase proposed by the government is a drop in the ocean and far below expectations,” he said, adding that the union had rejected the offer outright.
He also accused some government officials of “undermining the renegotiation process” and misrepresenting proposals made during engagements with the union.
‘Education not a priority’
The union faulted what it described as a lack of political will on the part of the government to invest in education despite increased public revenues.
Prof. Namo referenced figures from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), noting that allocations to states rose from ₦3.92 trillion in 2022 to ₦5.81 trillion in 2024, an increase of over 62 per cent. Federal revenue allocations, he said, climbed from ₦3.42 trillion in 2022 to ₦4.65 trillion in 2024, representing a rise of more than 70 per cent.
“These statistics confirm that it is not lack of funds but lack of political will and misplacement of priorities that make education suffer in Nigeria,” he said.
ASUU also criticised the part-payment of promotion arrears dating back to 2017 and the delayed release of third-party deductions, saying the measures “can at best be described as a weak confidence-building exercise.”
Call for intervention
The union urged traditional rulers, civil society groups, students, and the National Assembly to prevail on the government to address the union’s demands and avert a fresh disruption in public universities.
Prof. Namo insisted that the remaining days within the four-week negotiation window must be “tactfully and judiciously” utilised to resolve all pending issues and uplift the welfare of academic staff.
“The surest way to protect the future of our children is to massively invest in education,” he said.
ASUU’s demands include improved remuneration, better working conditions, and the settlement of unpaid benefits.
Resolutions from the ASUU National Executive Council meeting held at Taraba State University on November 8–9, and signed by the union’s president, Prof. Chris Piwuna, had similarly urged the government to conclude all negotiations within ten days.
