The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Chris Piwuna, has accused the Federal Government of refusing to implement agreements reached with the union despite several rounds of dialogue.
Piwuna, who spoke on Wednesday during an interview with Daily Trust, said ASUU has always prioritised dialogue but lamented that none of the negotiated items had been enforced.
The ASUU leader stressed that the union had consistently shown good faith by attending every meeting convened by government officials.
“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,” he said.
He, however, added: “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.”
According to Piwuna, collective bargaining with the government’s negotiation team had produced mutually accepted documents, but the process remains stuck.
“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,” he explained.
Professionals Leaving Universities, Teaching Hospitals
The ASUU president linked the mass exodus of academics and medical professionals to poor pay and harsh working conditions.
“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,” he revealed.
He added that the trend was the same for university lecturers, many of whom were now being absorbed by institutions in other African countries.
“In Uganda today, you will not find fewer than 20 Nigerian lecturers, sometimes in one university,” he said.
Piwuna also lamented the state of infrastructure in public universities, noting that Nigerian institutions lag far behind globally.
“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 said.
Embarking On Strikes Not Our Desire, But A Last Resort
The ASUU president insisted that the union does not wish to embark on strikes but is forced into them by government inaction.
“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.
Piwuna urged Nigerians to rally behind reforms in the education sector, insisting that ASUU’s fight was in the national interest.
“This is not about ASUU. ASUU is only fighting for a better system. It is about our future and about our country,” he said, calling on the media, traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents, and civil society to join in advocating for change.
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