The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has criticized both federal and state governments for politicizing education by establishing numerous public universities while neglecting existing ones.
Melemi Abatcha, chairperson of ASUU at the Federal University Gashua in Yobe State, voiced these concerns at a press conference in Damaturu. He highlighted that governments treat university education as constituency projects, leading to the creation of new universities without proper funding for the current institutions.
Abatcha pointed out the ongoing issue of insufficient university funding and the challenges faced by academic staff. He noted that the federal government has not met its 2023 commitments, including allocating N50 billion for the backlog of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) and incorporating EAA into salaries from January 2022.
Despite lecturers covering workloads during forced strikes, salaries remain unpaid. Abatcha also mentioned that, despite a Federal Executive Council (FEC) directive to remove ASUU from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) since December 2023, members are still paid through the system. He added that the removal of the fuel subsidy without credible alternatives has worsened hardships, and the union aims to avoid further academic disruptions.
ASUU urged the government to address the plight of Nigerians by agreeing to and implementing a fair living wage for workers promptly.
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