THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on President Bola Tinubu to look into the yearnings of the union to reposition the country’s tertiary institutions.
ASUU decried the neglect of its demands by the past administrations, saying the lingering crises that led to series of agitation since 2022 was due to non-implementation of the demands.
Coordinator of Akure Zone of ASUU, which comprises Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife; FUTA; Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti; Federal University, Oye Ekiti and University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Dr. Adeola Egbedokun, made the call at a news conference held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) on Monday, May 20.
Egbedokun said the ruling class in the country does not care whether universities thrive or not, adding that the nonchalant attitude had forced many committed academics to seek greener pastures.
He called on the Tinubu-led administration to immediately commence the process of reviewing and signing of the Prof. Nimi Briggs-led renegotiated draft agreement of 2021 between ASUU and government to rekindle hope in the public universities.
Egbedokun added that it was only concrete steps by the government to “restore the eroded dignity and degraded lives of ASUU members” that could guarantee lasting peace in public universities, urging government to always respect the laws and regulations establishing universities and not wait for the union’s threat before reconstituting governing councils in federal universities.
He also demanded immediate lifting of federal government’s embargo on university employment that had persisted for years, even as he recalled that ASUU had consistently rejected IPPIS platform for salary payment of the its members because it violated the autonomy of universities.
He stated: “ASUU’s position remains unchanged; government should revert to quarterly releases of university funds to enable the institutions design and implement their salary payment plans under the supervision of their governing councils.
“In the interest of industrial harmony, government should direct the immediate release of all outstanding deductions, unpaid promotion arrears and salaries of university academics, which were unjustly withheld by the IPPIS regime.”
Egbedokun called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to join forces with the union on quality teaching, learning, research and community service in Nigerian universities rather than creating debilitating academic programmes.
He also urged government to increase the funding of universities between 15 per cent and 20 per cent from its yearly budget in line with world standard, lamenting the reduction of TETFund’s intervention in the public universities.
Egbetokun said ASUU continue to speak out to ensure that public universities become centres of excellence.
