The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has briefed the Senate on the reasons behind its ongoing two-week warning strike, now in its fifth day. The union is demanding increased funding for universities to support research, infrastructure, and staff welfare, which it says remains among the lowest in Africa.
The strike, which began on Monday, October 13, was also prompted by allegations that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is attempting to appropriate part of the University of Abuja’s land. ASUU has described the move as unacceptable and a violation of the university’s autonomy.
Another source of contention is the Federal Ministry of Education’s decision to allocate part of the ₦50 billion set aside for universities to polytechnics and colleges of education. ASUU argues that this contradicts the government’s initial budgetary provisions and further shortchanges the university system.
Despite the dispute, the union commended President Bola Tinubu for approving ₦150 billion for universities and placing a seven-year moratorium on establishing new public tertiary institutions. ASUU said these measures show some commitment to reforming the education sector, but insisted that existing universities still require urgent attention and fair remuneration for staff.
Lawmakers have appealed to both the union and the relevant ministries to reach a compromise to end the strike and prevent further disruption of academic activities.
