The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Nsukka Zone, on Thursday called on Nigerians to hold the Federal Government responsible if public universities are shut down again.

Addressing journalists at the Benue State University campus in Makurdi, the Zonal Coordinator and National Investment Officer of the union, Christian Opata and Celesine Aguoru respectively, explained that the government was yet to fully implement the agreement signed with the union in December 2025.

The ASUU Zonal Chairman explained that the 2025 agreement, which was expected to take effect from January 2026, had not been holistically implemented due to the government’s inability to provide the required financial backing.

He noted that only partial components of the agreement had been implemented, adding that the Consolidated Tools Allowances, Earned Academic Allowances and Professorial Allowances were yet to be integrated into the Consolidated Academic Staff Salary Scale as part of the monthly remuneration package for academics.

Opata regretted that while the union had hoped to resolve lingering welfare issues, government actions had continued to stall progress.

“As the time of holding this press conference, arrears arising from the 25–35% salary award, promotion arrears, unpaid third-party deductions (including check-off dues, cooperative contributions, and pension remittances), salary shortfalls linked to the introduction of IPPIS, as well as the withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries resulting from the 2022 ASUU industrial action foisted on us by government remains unsettled as our members are yet to be paid,” Opata said.

The zonal chairman further stated that contrary to the 2025 agreement, the Federal Government had yet to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee designed to ensure faithful execution of the agreement and prevent bureaucratic sabotage.

He added that part of what the implementation monitoring committee was meant to guard against had already been undermined by the government, resulting in what he described as a blemished implementation of a major provision of the December 2025 agreement.

Opata also faulted the proposed National Research Council announced by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, in April, saying the union was not involved despite being a party to the agreement.

Corroborating the zonal chairman, the National Investment Officer, Comrade Celesine Aguoru, warned that Nigerians should hold the government accountable if universities are forced to shut down again.

“If agreement signed by both parties could not be respected by the government, Nigerians should hold government responsible if varsities are shut down,” Aguoru said.

While maintaining that the union was not eager to embark on strike, Aguoru called on Nigerians to prevail on the government to respond to ASUU’s demands.

The warning comes despite repeated assurances by the current administration that it would end the incessant shutdown of Nigerian universities by unions.

(The PUNCH)

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