Emma Elekwa
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address what it described as vexatious delay in salary, pension and other welfare issues of its members to douse tensions threatening fragile industrial peace across Nigerian universities.
It also called on critical stakeholders including traditional and religious leaders, students, parents, Nigeria Labor Congress, media and the civil society groups to urge federal and state governments to ensure faithful implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement.
Zonal Coordinator, Dennis Aribodor made the call on Tuesday in a press conference held at the ASUU Secretariat of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Awka.
Aribodor said addressing the outstanding issues was also necessary to avoid disruptions in the universities.
ASUU Owerri Zone is made up of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Imo State University (IMSU) Owerri, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU) and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Awka.
According to Aribodor, the briefing was aimed at presenting outcome of the review of the December 2025 agreement with federal government and its public presentation in January 2026 as well as other outstanding issues after a studied silence by the academic body.
Outstanding entitlements
He further lamented unfruitful efforts of Government’s Renegotiating Team to sort out lecturers’ outstanding entitlements with their principals, which he said was meant to chart new path to industrial harmony.
According to him, no country can progress when welfare issues of its academics are left unattended.
He likened suspension of lecturers’ salaries on account of “no work, no pay” to reducing scholars to menial workers whose livelihood is calibrated in physical appearance at their worksite.
Aribodor listed the unresolved issues to include arrears of the 25-35% salary award, arrears of promotions, remittances of third-party deductions (Union check-off dues, cooperative society deductions, pension contributions, national housing fund deductions, etc)
“Others are salary shortfalls arising from IPPIS mutilations, and the withheld three-and-half months’ salaries occasioned by the 2022 industrial action.
“As for the 2022 strike action, our members sacrificed their annual leaves and personal comfort to cover the outstanding work. And yet, they are still being punished.
“The affected students had since graduated and academic calendars have been regularized in all public universities for three consecutive years.
“Has government thought of lecturers abandoning accumulated work, which will hinder the students from graduating?
Inhuman treatment to retirees
ASUU further frowned at inhuman treatment meted to its retired colleagues, including their abandonment.
“In many states (for those who retired from state universities), their pension is running into years in arrears,.
“For those registered with different Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) other than NUPEMCO, PENCOM has deliberately delayed the harmonization of their benefits, by withholding the share of contribution that should come from PENCOM.
On irregular appointments and other questionable practices in universities, ASUU insisted that appointing authorities must ensure questionable characters were absent, especially in elevated offices.
The union described credibility as currency for effective leadership and governance of any university.
ASUU warned that discredited person occupying office of Vice-Chancellor or Chairman of Council remained liability to the university.
“Over the years, ASUU has had to wage many battles back on the campuses because of some unhealthy practices by university administrators and governing councils.
“We fought against irregular appointments, misappropriation of funds, disrespect for extant laws, rules and many more in various universities.
Extraneous positions
“Vice-Chancellors in recent years have introduced extraneous positions like “Professor of Practice” and “Diaspora Professors”, which are unknown to their University Senates and Governing Councils, to reward their cronies and benefactors.
“In the process, people with doubtful academic credentials find their way into the university system and some even rise to become vice-chancellors.
“Our Union had equally challenged vice-chancellors for lack of transparency and accountability in handling university finances and took on pro-chancellors who overreached their mandates.
“The increasing incidence of maladministration of Nigerian universities must be arrested because of its debilitating effects on the academic environment respected for probity, transparency and accountability.”
