If professors’ pay are not fully implemented in accordance with the 2025 agreement by the end of March, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to take legal action.
In an interview with TheCable, ASUU President Prof. Christopher Piwuna issued the warning, stating that the union demands full payment of wages, including all agreed-upon allowances, by the end of the month.
Piwuna confirmed that, contrary to popular belief, the union did not issue a four-day ultimatum.
He claimed that ASUU just cited the remaining days of March as a fair time frame for the government to abide by the terms of the agreement.
He pointed out that before taking any industrial action, the union adheres to established protocols.
The president of ASUU clarified that while certain salary changes had been reported by academics since January, the agreement’s implementation was yet unfinished.
He claimed that payments to federal institutions had not yet properly reflected a number of the agreement’s provisions.
He claims that the gaps especially impact visiting and sabbatical lecturers, many of whom are not fully compensated because of financial limitations at host universities.
Piwuna further revealed that important components that were supposed to be included in salaries, including the Earned Academic Allowances, had not been paid in full.
The union is demanding complete adherence to the December 2025 deal with the Federal Government.
The deal includes increased welfare benefits for academic workers, an improved compensation structure, and a 40% increase in allowances.
Piwuna also attributed the financial difficulties facing universities on the national budget’s passage delays.
In advance of the federal elections in 2027, he charged that the administration was turning its focus to political activity.
He declared, “We are sick of waiting. The full implementation of the 2025 agreement is in our own best interests.”
The head of ASUU stated that in addition to salaries, the agreement calls for the creation of a National Research Council, better benchmarks for education spending, and a N30 billion stabilization fund that will be distributed over three years to help universities with their financial deficiencies.
He bemoaned the poor progress made on these promises, though.
He claims that there is little proof that the government is taking decisive action to achieve predetermined goals, such as gradually raising education spending to 25% of the national budget.
Piwuna cautioned that if the government does not carry out the deal completely, ASUU will not think twice about taking action.
“The union will respond in accordance with its established procedures if the government fails to ensure full payment of salaries and implementation of the agreement by the end of March,” he declared.
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