ASUU Threatens to Resume Strike Over Unpaid Salaries, Broken Promises
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed disappointment over the Federal Government’s failure to meet its demands despite suspending its two-week warning strike.
The union issued a statement on Wednesday through the University of Jos branch chairman, Prof. Jurbe Molwus, warning that it may resume the suspended strike if the government does not take urgent action.
ASUU had in October embarked on a two-week total and comprehensive warning strike to press for the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, payment of three and a half months of withheld salaries, sustainable funding of public universities, and revitalisation of public institutions.
However, the strike was suspended midway following an emergency meeting between government officials and ASUU leaders, after assurances that the issues would be addressed.
In its latest statement, the UNIJOS ASUU chairman lamented that the Federal Government had failed to make meaningful progress since the suspension of the strike.
“We expect that some of the outstanding entitlements, such as 3.5 months of withheld salaries, 25/35% wage award arrears, promotion arrears, and unpaid salaries of some members, would have been paid to university workers by now. But all we get are press releases by the Honourable Minister of Education. What we need are credit alerts, not media statements,” Molwus said.
He also criticised the slow pace of implementing agreements reached with the government and called for transparency in the disbursement of intervention funds.
“It is unfortunate that even the ₦50 billion revitalisation fund the FGN reportedly released some weeks ago is yet to reach the universities. Again, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, was quoted to have said that ‘the FG has released ₦2.3 billion to clear salary and promotion arrears in all federal universities.’ But as we speak, university workers have yet to receive such payments,” he added.
Molwus urged the Ministry of Education to clarify how funds are being allocated and called for better collaboration with the Ministry of State for Education to resolve lingering issues. He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to prioritise the education sector and ensure that pending matters between the government and the unions are addressed.
“As ASUU mobilises for its National Executive Council meeting scheduled to hold on November 8 and 9, 2025, we expect that some of the outstanding entitlements would have been settled. We hereby state for the avoidance of doubt that the strike was only suspended as a mark of respect and demonstration of goodwill in collective bargaining. So, we expect the FGN to reciprocate by satisfactorily addressing our demands without further delays,” he concluded.
