ASUU Faults FG’s Delay as Strike Deadline Nears

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has faulted the Federal Government for moving too slowly in addressing its long-standing demands, as the union’s two-week ultimatum to avert a nationwide strike ends on Sunday.

President Bola Tinubu has reportedly directed government officials to take urgent steps to prevent another disruption in university activities across the country.

However, ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, during a recent television interview, said the government’s response came too late, describing the pace of engagement from the Ministry of Education as slow and uncoordinated.

According to him, several meetings and letters had been exchanged between the union and government representatives, but there was little or no follow-up after each discussion. He explained that the government had requested a three-week period to resolve the issues, which ASUU agreed to, yet no progress was made within that time.

Piwuna noted that the ministry only reached out to the union when it threatened to commence industrial action, a pattern he described as recurrent. He added that the government’s appeal for patience came just days before the strike deadline, which he said showed a lack of seriousness toward resolving the crisis.

The ASUU leader also pointed out that the 2009 agreement between the union and the Federal Government, which has been under review for several years, remains unfinished. He said the government’s failure to conclude the renegotiation process had worsened the tension within the education sector.

As the strike deadline draws close, the union maintains that it is ready to take action if the Federal Government fails to meet its demands within the remaining days.