The Academic Staff Union of Universities has given the Federal Government 14 days to meet its demands or face a nationwide strike.
Rising from its National Executive Council meeting at the University of Abuja on Sunday, the union accused the government of neglecting public universities and ignoring the welfare of lecturers.
ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said the union had staged rallies across campuses in August to draw attention to the crisis in the system but got no meaningful response.
He warned that if the government fails to act within the ultimatum, ASUU would first embark on a two-week warning strike, after which it could proceed on a total and indefinite shutdown of universities.
The demands include the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, sustainable funding and revitalisation of universities, and an end to alleged victimisation of members at LASU, Prince Abubakar Audu University and FUTO.
Others are the payment of outstanding 25–35 per cent salary arrears, resolution of delayed promotion arrears spanning over four years, and settlement of outstanding third-party deductions.
“These issues are not new. We have been engaging the government on them for years without results,” Piwuna said.
