The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a four-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to begin the implementation of a newly approved salary structure for university lecturers.
ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, announced the directive on Thursday while addressing union members at Sa’adu Zungur University, Yuli Campus, in Bauchi State, warning that failure to comply would trigger decisive action.
“We have issued a four-day ultimatum from today to the federal government to commence payment of the newly approved salary structure. Failure to comply will attract a strong response from the union,” Piwuna said.
He criticised what he described as the government’s repeated failure to honour agreements with the union, noting that such lapses have historically led to industrial disputes and prolonged strikes within Nigeria’s university system.
Beyond salary concerns, ASUU also raised objections to plans for the establishment of a Nigerian branch of Coventry University, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to London.
Piwuna described the move as detrimental to the development of local universities, warning that it could undermine Nigeria’s higher education system and amount to a new form of colonial influence in the sector.
He further argued that the proposal comes at a time when the foreign institution is reportedly experiencing a decline in global student applications.
The ASUU president urged the Federal Government to instead focus on revitalising Nigerian universities through meaningful collaboration with the union, stressing the need to build a resilient education system capable of meeting the demands of future generations.
