The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Chris Piwuna, has accused the Federal Government of failing to implement agreements reached with the union after several rounds of negotiations.

Speaking on Wednesday during an interview on Trust TV, Piwuna said that although ASUU had consistently engaged in dialogue with government representatives, none of the agreements had been enforced.

Piwuna stressed that the union had never shied away from discussions with government officials.

He said, “We have always made ourselves available to government. Anytime they call us, we come from Calabar, Port Harcourt, Jos and other places to meet in Abuja. Dialogue has always been our first option.

“But there’s no part of the agreement that has been enforced. We have agreed with the government team on each of the items – funding, conditions of service, academic freedom, university autonomy, and review of some laws among others. What is left is for the government team to take action.”

The ASUU president explained that while collective bargaining had produced documents agreed upon by both parties, the process had stalled at the implementation stage.

He further stated, “There is no disagreement between us and the government side on each of these items. What remains is for them to return to their principals (the Ministry of Education and the Federal Government) and say ‘look, these are the things we’ve agreed with ASUU. Do you accept it?’ That is where we are stuck.”

Piwuna, who is also a medical doctor, linked the mass exodus of university lecturers and medical consultants to poor conditions of service.

The ASUU president said, “In the Jos University Teaching Hospital where I work, at least 20 consultants have left in the last two years. As a head of department, hardly three months pass without my signing a reference letter for a doctor relocating abroad.

“It’s the same for lecturers. If everybody is leaving because of salary, why can’t you improve the salary and retain the staff? In Uganda today, you will not find fewer than 20 Nigerian lecturers, sometimes in one university.”

Piwuna also lamented the state of public universities, which he said contributes to their poor global ranking.

“Out of 333 universities in Nigeria, fewer than five are in the top 1,000 in Africa. Our pay is low, facilities are not upgraded, and conditions of service are poor. Go to any public university and ask female lecturers if they are comfortable using the restrooms. Many would rather drive home before returning to campus,” he stated.

Piwuna insisted that lecturers are not happy with strikes, but resort to them when dialogue fails.

“Lecturers are not happy with strikes. Our students are our children. Our wives and relatives are in the system. We are all affected. But unless government addresses these issues, instability in the system will continue,” he warned.

He further appealed to stakeholders across society to support ASUU’s push for reforms.

He added, “This is not about ASUU. ASUU is only fighting for a better system. It is about our future and about our country.”