ASUU faults FG’s implementation of 2025 agreement, warns of fresh crisis

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has accused the Federal Government of failing to fully implement the 2025 agreement signed with the union, warning that the development could trigger fresh industrial unrest in public universities.

ASUU Abuja Zone made the allegation during a press conference held at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, on Monday.

Speaking at the briefing, Zonal Coordinator of ASUU Abuja Zone, Adamu Al-Abdullahi, said contrary to claims by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, that the agreement had been fully implemented, lecturers were still grappling with unpaid salaries, pension arrears, and unresolved welfare issues.

“It is exactly five months since the fanfare that accompanied the signing of the FG/ASUU Agreement after a protracted negotiation spanning eight years,” he said.

“However, the claim that the FG has fully implemented the agreement is far from the realities on ground in federal universities.”

The union accused the Federal Government of abandoning the agreed implementation framework and allowing individual universities to apply the agreement selectively.

According to ASUU, the government failed to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee meant to oversee uniform execution of the agreement.

“The FG has left it to individual universities to implement in a distorted and uncoordinated manner,” Al-Abdullahi said.

The union alleged that some university administrators were selectively implementing approved allowances, including the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, Earned Academic Allowance, and Professorial Allowance.

ASUU also criticised some state governors, accusing them of refusing to implement the agreement despite participating in the negotiation process.

The union listed unresolved issues affecting lecturers to include arrears of the 25–35 per cent salary award, promotion arrears, withheld salaries linked to the 2022 ASUU strike, unpaid pension contributions, and unremitted third-party deductions.

“We want to sound this clear, no country can progress when the welfare issues of academics are left unattended,” he said.

ASUU also faulted the Federal Government’s continued application of the “No Work, No Pay” policy against lecturers who participated in the 2022 strike.

“Withholding salaries of university lecturers on account of ‘no work, no pay’ is like reducing scholars to menial workers whose livelihood is anchored in physical appearances at their worksite,” he added.

The union further raised concerns over pension-related challenges, accusing pension authorities of frustrating retired academics through delayed harmonisation of pension benefits.

It also alleged that some state universities still lacked functional pension schemes for workers.

ASUU additionally expressed concerns over what it described as growing irregularities in university administration, including questionable appointments and the emergence of positions such as “Professor of Practice” and “Diaspora Professors.”

According to the union, some appointments were being made outside established university procedures and without the approval of university senates and governing councils.

The latest concerns come despite repeated assurances by the Federal Government that the 2025 agreement would resolve longstanding disputes over university funding, earned allowances, and lecturers’ welfare.