The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), North-West Zone, has urged the Federal Government to fully implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement.

The union cited outstanding welfare issues, controversial education policies, administrative irregularities, and insecurity in universities as bottleneck.

The Zonal Coordinator of ASUU Northwest, comprising 10 public universities, Prof. Abubakar Sabo, made the call at a press conference on Thursday in Sokoto.

Mr Sabo said the position followed resolutions reached at the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Modibbo Adama University, Yola, from May 9 to 10.

He noted that despite the public presentation of the agreement in January this year, the Federal Government failed to act.

He added that the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) had not been constituted, and several federal and state universities were yet to fully implement the salary components of the agreement.

“On outstanding welfare issues, ASUU Sokoto zone decries the non-payment of the 25-35% salary award, promotion arrears, salary shortfalls, unremitted third-party deductions, and the three months’ salary withheld during the 2022 ASUU strike,” he said.

The union also expressed concerns over the new education policies, including the reversal of the mother-tongue policy in early childhood education, the proposed establishment of a Coventry University campus in Nigeria, and plans to scrap certain courses in the humanities and social sciences.

Mr Sabo raised the alarm over rising cases of maladministration, lack of transparency, and irregular appointments in Nigerian universities.

On national issues, the union decried worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and political tensions affecting academic activities, particularly in Northern Nigeria.

The zonal coordinator warned that ASUU might embark on industrial action if all diplomatic options were exhausted.

He therefore, appealed to patriotic Nigerians, parents, students, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to support the struggle for functional and adequately funded public universities. 

(NAN)