…supports national body on 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement implementation impasse

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos Zone, is perturbed that the federal government failed to take into consideration the strength of each university to cover the salary component of recurrent cost in implementing the 2025 agreement.

The union made this known in a statement signed by Adesola Nassir, the zonal coordinator to its affiliate bodies expressing its frustrations over the governments’ disposition to implementing the agreement.

The lecturers appreciated the position of the federal government to encourage university administration to implement the salary aspect of the agreement as a stop-gap pending the signing of the 2026 budget, but expressed concerns that government failed to take into consideration the strength of each university to adequately cover the shortfall in the salary component of recurrent cost.

“While appreciating the position of the federal government to encourage university administration to implement the salary aspect of the agreement as a stop-gap pending the signing of the 2026 budget, we are perturbed that government failed to take into consideration the strength of each university to adequately cover the shortfall in the salary component of recurrent cost.

“Our membership is being oppressed by governments, federal and state. This cannot be allowed to continue. Our members across the country have been briefed on the status of our engagement with government, particularly on the implementation of the agreement and other matters,” the statement read.

Besides, the Lagos zone of ASUU disclosed that it is disturbed that the government’s attitude has not convinced the system that it has the commitment and capacity to reimburse the universities for the various amounts mobilized to ‘rescue the situation’ as it were.

“Government must not leave the universities in a state where they would be unable to breathe and respond to immediate challenges typical of this recent “call to rescue” it stated.

Moreover, the union expressed worries that many visitors to state-owned universities are playing the ostrich on the implementation of agreement in their respective universities, even with the knowledge that representatives of their governing councils and universities actively participated in the entire process leading to the evolution of the agreement.

“This matter if not addressed, has the potential to shatter the industrial peace in the institutions,” it said.

The union highlighted its fears that many of the outstanding welfare matters that instigated the last strike action have remained largely unaddressed.

“These include payment of arrears of the 25-35 percent salary award, arrears of promotion, remittances of third-party deductions, check-off dues, cooperative society deductions, and pension contributions, among others; salary shortfalls arising from IPPIS application, and the withheld three-and-half months’ salaries occasioned by the 2022 industrial action of ASUU.

“To make deductions from salaries and fail to remit same is fraudulent and criminal to say the least. To also refuse to pay staff for services already rendered is oppressive and inimical to industrial harmony,” it noted.

ASUU emphasised that the government must address these challenges now, otherwise the universities would continue to bleed from loss of competent staff of all cadres to other academic climes.

“We also urge respective authorities in the zone to address with dispatch all the welfare matters including the matter of promotion guidelines at UNILAG as this has the potential to cause disruption of academic activities in the University.

“We equally urge the Lagos State government to address the matter of the five ASUU exco members sacked at LASU and put their 10 year travails to rest and recall them with their rights and privileges,” the union demanded.

It reiterated its solidarity to its national body, when it said, “The Lagos zone of ASUU are solidly with ASUU at national level in respect of any direction taken on this matter.”

The Lagos zone of ASUU comprises the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), University of Agriculture Abeokuta (UNAAB), Tai Solarin Federal University of Education (TASFUED), Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) and Lagos State University of Education (LASUED).