News
Strike: We’re Yet To Resolve Dispute With FG, ASUU Clarifies
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said it has not reached any concrete agreement with the Federal Government on how to end its over seven months’ strike.
This is just as the union faulted the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, for saying in an interview at the weekend that six out of the nine demands by the union had been met by the government.
Speaking in a chat, yesterday, the National President of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, while taking the demands one by one, asked Nigerians to see which one had been met by the government.
“As far as we are concerned, nothing has been delivered to our members, and our members don’t want empty promises. Let us take the issues one after the other.
“The withheld salaries of our members, which is between four to eight months, have not been paid, if paid, accounts of our members would have been credited. Same for Earned Academic Allowances, yet to be paid.
“Visitation panels have not been constituted for the universities, if that is done, Nigerians would have heard the names of panel members as announced by the government.
“The proliferation of universities by state governments has not been addressed. The renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement has not started; the 2019 Memorandum of Action is not yet implemented.
“So, on which of these issues has the target beneficiaries seen any concrete action being taken? We are getting to understand the way people in government work.
“When they are still discussing with you, they will go to town and tell people what has not been done. Their intention is to paint ASUU as the aggressor.
“Which of the issues can anybody say the ball is in ASUU’s court? Are we the ones to pay our withheld salaries and allowances? Are we the ones to set up visitation panels?
“That is how they went about creating a fake Twitter account for the union and begin to circulate fake news,” he said.
Ogunyemi added that the University Transparency and Accountability System (UTAS) being developed by ASUU to replace government’s Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) was at an advanced stage, but expressed fears that some people wanted to truncate it.
On the threat by the minister that the government could invoke labour laws, if nothing was agreed to by the two parties soon, Ogunyemi said his union would never feel threatened in any way.
“We are ready for discussions if they invite us. The onus of universities reopening soon lies with the government. We go to meetings we are invited to.
“They promised that we would meet some days ago and they said they would write to inform us, we waited in vain for their invite. Nothing came,” he stated.
It would be recalled that the union has been on strike since March 24, this year over sundry issues.
Also, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos zone, yesterday, tackled the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, over the claim that the Federal Government cannot afford the conservative N110billion for the revitalisation of universities.
The union, in a statement issued by Lagos Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Olusiji Sowande, urged parents, students, and the general public not to be persuaded by the statement made by Ngige.
ASUU, which had been on strike for seven months, faulted the Federal Government for paying bailout funds to the private sector and failed to pay the revitalisation fund for the universities.
The union’s zonal coordinator while reacting to the recent comment made by Ngige on a live TV programme, said, “The statement is laced with the hidden fact that the MoL & E and his team have no intention of ending the ongoing strike this year.
“The Nigerian public should be appalled that government team, after having a series of meetings with our union, is just collating pertinent data required to engage our union.”
On the claim that the Federal Government cannot afford the revatilisation fund, the union lamented that “only recently, government approved N5billion bailout fund to operators in the aviation sector to ameliorate the harsh realities of Covid-19 on their business operations.”
It also raised the concern that over the years, the Nigerian government has spent over N1.5trillion to bail out power generation and distribution companies to keep their business afloat despite privatisation of the power sector.
“If the government could bailout private businesses for ‘Business Good’ then Nigerian public universities deserve to be bailed out for ‘Public Good’,” he added.
The ECOWAS Parliament has adopted a budget of 19,636,030 Units of Account (UA) (26 million dollars) for the 2026 fiscal year, and announced plans to commemorate its 25th anniversary in November.
The Speaker of the Parliament, Hadjia Memounatou Ibrahima, who announced this, said the development followed the recent conclusion of its 2025 Second Extraordinary Session in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
She said the budget was adopted by the Parliament during plenary, stressing that, beyond being a mere accounting act, it was the engine of parliament’s commitment to West Africans.
”It will enable us to carry out our priority missions, including implementing the conclusions of the seminar on AI, while ensuring virtuous and transparent management of public funds entrusted to us.
”This budget represents a five per cent increase compared to the 2025 fiscal year budget, reflecting an upward adjustment of UA 939,233 from last year’s UA 18,996,897.
”Out of the budget of UA 19,636,030 for 2026, the sum of UA19, 368,394 representing 98.64 per cent is expected to be financed through the proceeds from the Community Levy, while UA257,636, equivalent to 1.36 per cent, will accrue from other sources,” Ibrahima said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ECOWAS Community Levy is a mandatory 0.5 per cent tax imposed on goods imported into ECOWAS member states from non-ECOWAS countries.
Member states are under statutory obligation to pay the community levy, which is the main source of funding for ECOWAS institutions and their activities.
Ibrahima, however, expressed dismay that some members of the community were still defaulting on the payment of the levy, and warned that, going forward; such would be met with sanctions.
She also said that the commemoration of its 25th anniversary in November would highlight the ECOWAS Parliament’s achievements in deepening regional democracy, cooperation and growth, amid formidable challenges.
The Speaker described the forthcoming anniversary as “a chance to showcase resilience and chart a more innovative, youth-focused future for the community”.
The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has begun the celebration of Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary with a Juma’at service where prayers were offered for the progress of the state and Nigeria.
Governor Fubara, who advocated for peace and unity of Nigeria during the prayers on Friday at the Rivers State Central Mosque, Port Harcourt, indicated that without peace, the accelerated development of Nigeria will remain in a limbo.
Governor Fubara, who was represented by Alhaji Abdurrazaq Diepriye, therefore urged citizens to remain patriotic.
According to him, “Allah has brought us this far. Without peace, we can not have progress and economic development. I call on all citizens irrespective of creed or tribe to remain patriotic.”
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for restoring peace in Rivers State while also using the forum to appreciate security agencies for their relentless effort in upholding the peace and unity of Rivers State and Nigeria.
The Chief Imam of Rivers State Central Mosque, Imam Ibrahim Yaloo, admonished Moslem faithful to always speak the truth, adding that those who obey Allah will be directed to good deeds and their sins forgiven.
Prayers were offered for Rivers State and Nigeria.
Other activities to mark the 65th Independence anniversary in the state include an Inter-denominational Church Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, 28th September and Parade Ceremony on Wednesday, 1st October.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima departed New York on Sunday after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
In a statement released on Sunday by the VP media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President is now headed to Germany, where he will hold strategic meetings with officials of Deutsche Bank.
The statement read, “Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed New York, United States, after successfully representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
“During his participation at UNGA 80, VP Shettima secured UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ commendation for Nigeria’s bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat.
“He also showcased Nigeria’s $200 billion energy transition opportunity to global investors and strengthened strategic partnerships with the UK on trade, defence, and migration issues.”
Nkwocha added that the VP delivered Tinubu’s national statement, calling for UN reforms and a permanent seat for Nigeria at the UN Security Council, and “demanded Africa’s control over its $700 billion mineral wealth, and digital inclusion initiatives.”
“He also engaged with the Gates Foundation on healthcare and education expansion, positioning Nigeria as the natural hub for the African Continental Free Trade Area’s $3.4 trillion market.
“VP Shettima was seen off at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, by cabinet Ministers who were part of the UNGA 80 delegation and Nigerian Mission officials.”
The aide noted that Shettima will return to Nigeria immediately after his engagements in Germany.
The Tide source recalls that the VP departed Abuja, yesterday.
He led other Nigerian officials at the Assembly.
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