The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Federal Government to urgently engage with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) following ASUU’s recent strike threat. NANS Senate President, Akinteye Babatunde, emphasized the need for immediate dialogue, noting that a strike at this time would be detrimental to students and the education system.
ASUU issued a fresh 14-day ultimatum on Wednesday, citing unresolved issues with the government, including the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, the release of withheld salaries from the 2022 strike, and payment for staff affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Other demands include the release of funding for public universities’ revitalization, the payment of Earned Academic Allowances, and addressing the proliferation of universities by federal and state governments.
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, expressed frustration with the government’s lack of commitment and warned that failure to resolve the issues would lead to another strike. ASUU called on well-meaning Nigerians to urge the government to take action within the 14-day window to avoid industrial disharmony.