Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sokoto Zone, has warned that failure by state governments to implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement and clear outstanding welfare debts will trigger an industrial crisis in affected universities.
In a press conference yesterday, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Abubakar Sabo, told journalists that despite the public presentation of the 2025 agreement in January and repeated notifications to state governments and university managements, “bureaucratic delays, inconsistencies, and lack of willingness to implement it” have stalled progress.
“Our branches note with deep concern the non-implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement signed between the Federal Government and ASUU. Meanwhile, SAZU, EKSU, BOUESTI, UNIOSUN, BSU, OOU, SSU and SSUES have commenced implementation,” Prof. Sabo said.
He listed key unimplemented components to include mainstreaming of Consolidated Academic Allowances, Earned Academic Allowances, and Professorial Allowances into monthly salary structures as contained in the agreement.
At Abdullahi Fodio University of Science and Technology, Alier (AFUSTA, Prof. Sabo revealed that lecturers are owed Earned Academic Allowances from 2014 to date, promotion arrears spanning six to 32 months across cadres, and 62 months of 2019 consequential adjustment arrears. He added that the 2024 promotion exercise for Readers and Professors, effective from October 1, 2024, is yet to be concluded. “The ₦35,000 wage award for October 2023 to March 2024, sixmonths’s arrears, remains unpaid. The 25 percent and 35 percent salary increments from September 2023 to December 2024, 16mmonths’s arrearshaveas also not been paid,” he disclosed.
For Umaru Musa Yaradua University, Katsina (UMYUK), the zonal chairman commended Governor Dikko Umaru Radda for the consistent payment of EAA but said the branch is still pushing for arrears of the 25 percent and 35 percent increments and minimum wage consequential adjustment covering 36 months. He noted that the government had shown readiness for discussion.
At Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara (ZAMSUT), Prof. Sabo cited a backlog of promotion arrears from January 2025 and unremitted third-party deductions as major grievances.
“We call on state governments to treat academics with dignity through prompt payment of lawful entitlements. Continued delay will lead to brain drain,” he warned.
The academic commended the Governor of Sokoto State, Dr Ahmed Aliyu, for his timely intervention in the implementation of the 40 percent salary increase advocated by ASUU.
The union also rejected what it termed unilateral education policy changes, including reversal of the mother-tongue policy in early childhood education, proposed foreign-affiliated universities under transnational education, and compulsory enrolment into the Nigeria Education Repository Databank without stakeholder consultation.
Prof. Sabo further decried the absence of Governing Councils in some state universities and worsening insecurity across northern Nigeria, saying banditry, kidnapping and economic hardship “disrupt educational activities and threaten the safety of members, students, and host communities.”
While reaffirming ASUU’s commitment to dialogue, the zonal coordinator urged patriotic Nigerians, parents, students and civil society to support the struggle for a functional public university system.
“The government must act in good faith and avert a renewed crisis. The struggle continues,” he concluded.