ASUU Urges FG to Prioritise Existing Varsities, Calls New Ones “Crisis Centres”

 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Akure Zone, has faulted the Federal Government for misrepresenting the status of negotiations with the union, while approving new universities despite a moratorium on the establishment of tertiary institutions.

Speaking to journalists at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, ASUU Akure Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Adeola Egbedokun, described newly created universities as “crisis centres” and called on the government to focus on improving existing institutions.

Prof. Egbedokun recalled that the Federal Government had imposed a seven-year freeze on the creation of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, citing overstretched resources and declining academic standards. “It was agreed that for seven years, no license would be granted for new universities. Yet, a few days ago, new universities received approval. Is seven years the same as seven days?” he questioned.

The ASUU leader also rejected the government’s proposed 35 per cent salary increase for academics, describing it as “tokenistic and insulting.” He stressed that the offer would neither halt the migration of scholars abroad nor restore dignity to the profession.

Prof. Egbedokun condemned certain officials for “distorting facts and misrepresenting the negotiations,” noting that piecemeal payments of promotion arrears dating back to 2017 and the delayed release of third-party deductions could not be presented as major achievements.

He urged the Federal Government to “act with clarity, commitment, and integrity” to conclude the re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, pay outstanding salary arrears, release unpaid promotion dues, and ensure sustainable funding of universities. He warned that failure to respond could spark industrial unrest across campuses.

Present at the briefing were ASUU leaders from the Akure Zone, including Prof. Anthony Odiwe (OAU), Prof. Bamidele Mogaji (FUTA), Prof. Sola Afolayan (EKSU), Dr. Abraham Oladebeye (UNIMED), Dr. Abayomi Fagbuagun (FUOYE), Dr. Babatope Ogundare (BOUESTI), and Dr. Bosun Ajisafe (Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo).

In response, the Federal Ministry of Education clarified that the presidential approval for the Federal University of Science and Technology, Epe, Lagos State, and others was granted through a Presidential Executive Memo before the seven-year moratorium came into effect.

Prof. Egbedokun concluded: “Nothing short of a fair and respectable living wage for Nigerian academics is acceptable. The future of the nation is secured only when education is meaningfully invested in.”