The Academic Staff Union of Universities Bauchi Zone, has warned that it may embark on another strike following the Federal Government’s alleged failure to address lingering concerns affecting public universities.
The Bauchi Zone is made up of six universities: Federal University Kashere (Gombe State), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (Bauchi State), University of Jos (Plateau State), Bauchi State University, Plateau State University Bokkos, and Gombe State University.
Speaking at a press conference in Jos on Saturday, ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Timothy Namo, said the government had ignored repeated warnings and failed to utilise the one-month window the union earlier provided for renegotiation.
Flanked by branch chairmen from the six universities, Namo said the deadline was fast approaching, yet the government had made no meaningful progress.
“The paltry increase proposed by the government is a drop in the ocean and far below expectations,” he said, noting that the union had rejected the offer.
Namo also accused some government officials of frustrating the renegotiation process through what he described as “subtle misrepresentation” of government offers.
“ASUU NEC expressed concerns over the attitudes of some government functionaries who are bent on undermining the process,” he stated.
He criticised the government for partially paying promotion arrears dating back to 2017 and failing to release third-party deductions owed to members.
“These payments can at best be described as a weak confidence-boosting exercise,” he said.
According to Namo, funding trends contradict the claim that government lacks resources to prioritise education.
He cited Federal Accounts Allocation Committee data showing significant increases in allocations to states and the Federal Government between 2022 and 2024.
“It is not lack of funds but lack of political will and misplacement of priorities that make education suffer in Nigeria,” he added.
Namo appealed to traditional rulers, students, civil society organisations, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the National Assembly to intervene and urge the government to address ASUU’s demands to prevent another shutdown of academic activities.
“The remaining days to the expiration of the 4-week window must be judiciously used to resolve all outstanding issues. The surest way to protect the future of our children is to invest massively in education,”he said.
The union’s demands include improved salaries, better working conditions, and the payment of outstanding benefits.
Resolutions from ASUU’s National Executive Council meeting held on November 8–9 at Taraba State University also directed the Federal Government to take concrete action within 10 days of the earlier one-month deadline.
