The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Jos chapter, has revealed the reasons behind its decision to embark on an industrial action, warning that a two-week warning strike will commence if the Federal Government fails to meet its demands by October 13.
This was disclosed during a meeting held on Friday in Jos between ASUU and student leaders, organized by the union’s Students Relations Committee. The session aimed to build understanding and gather support for ASUU’s long-running demands to the government.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chairperson of ASUU UNIJOS, Professor Jurbe Molwus, said the interaction was necessary to inform students of the current challenges facing public universities in Nigeria, and the efforts being made by ASUU to salvage the system.
Professor Molwus expressed appreciation to the student leaders for granting the union the opportunity to engage with them directly.
“We are worried that we may no longer be able to guarantee the industrial peace that Nigerian universities have enjoyed in the past two years,” he said.
He acknowledged that the Federal Government may be happy with the union’s decision to maintain calm since its last major strike in 2022, but pointed out that the cost has been too high for lecturers.
“That peace has come at the expense of our members who have continued to suffer under poor working conditions and the persistent denial of their rightful entitlements,” Molwus stated.
According to him, the decision to go on strike was not taken lightly. He explained that it was the outcome of ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on September 28.
The union has now issued a 14-day ultimatum, which expires on October 13. If the government fails to meet their demands before that date, ASUU will begin a two-week warning strike without further notice.
Molwus was quick to clarify that the union’s demands are not selfish or limited to salary increases. Rather, they are part of ASUU’s broader fight to improve the quality and sustainability of higher education in Nigeria.
“Our demands are not personal. We are fighting to build a better, more functional university system that will benefit students, staff, and the country at large,” he said.
He listed some of the issues the union has raised repeatedly, including the non-payment of earned academic allowances, poor funding of public universities, the continued use of the controversial Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), and the government’s failure to honour previous agreements with the union.
Also speaking at the event, Miss Jane Pwajok, President of the Student Union Government (SUG) of the University of Jos, thanked ASUU for reaching out to students.
She described the meeting as an “eye-opener” that helped students better understand the root of the problems affecting the university system.
“This session gave us clarity. We now understand that ASUU’s struggle is not just about salaries, but about ensuring a better future for university education in Nigeria,” she said.
While expressing appreciation for ASUU’s continued advocacy, Pwajok also appealed to the union to consider other methods of pressing their demands rather than shutting down academic activities.
“We, the students, are usually the ones who suffer most during strikes. We appeal to ASUU to explore more dialogue and avoid actions that will further delay our academic progress,” she added.
ASUU is a union of academic staff in Nigerian universities, known for its long-standing advocacy for better conditions in tertiary institutions. Over the years, the union has embarked on several industrial actions, sometimes lasting many months, to press home demands including improved funding, academic autonomy, and the welfare of its members.
In 2022, ASUU embarked on an eight-month strike that disrupted academic calendars across public universities. Since then, there has been relative peace in the university sector, but many of the issues that led to that strike remain unresolved.
With the current 14-day ultimatum, the Federal Government may once again be facing a familiar test of its commitment to education.
