Kano—The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Kano Zone, has warned that the country could be heading for fresh strike action over what it described as the Federal Government’s insincere handling of ongoing renegotiations.
The Zonal Coordinator, Abdulkadir Muhammad, raised the alarm after the union’s Zonal meeting in Kano, saying confidence in the government’s commitment to resolving long-standing issues affecting the university system is fast eroding.
Muhammad noted that despite suspending a two-week warning strike in October to allow for “meaningful and fruitful engagement,” government negotiators have resorted to delay tactics and spreading misinformation.
He explained, “The National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of ASUU, held on November 8 and 9 at Taraba State University, revealed that the renegotiation process is moving at a snail’s pace. Some government functionaries are undermining the talks and misinforming the public on the state of our engagement.”
Muhammad further accused the government of lacking genuine commitment to improve the working conditions of Nigerian academics, warning that the current offers will neither reverse the massive brain drain affecting public universities nor attract scholars from abroad.
“The one-month ultimatum given to government to respond to our demands will soon lapse,” he said, appealing to traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organizations, students, parents, and other stakeholders to press the government to resolve all outstanding issues and avert another total shutdown of the nation’s universities.
ASUU Kano Zone’s warning underscores rising tensions between university lecturers and the Federal Government, with millions of students potentially at risk of disrupted academic calendars if talks fail to yield results.
VANGUARD.
