The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kano Zone, has warned that Nigeria may be headed for another nationwide university shutdown following what it describes as the Federal Government’s “insincere and sluggish” handling of ongoing renegotiation talks.
Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Abdulkadir Muhammad, issued the warning after a zonal meeting of the union in Kano, saying lecturers’ confidence in the government’s willingness to resolve long-standing issues is rapidly fading.
Muhammad recalled that ASUU suspended a two-week warning strike in October to create room for “meaningful and fruitful engagement,” but said subsequent events have been disappointing.
“The National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU, held on November 8 and 9 at Taraba State University, revealed that the renegotiation process is moving at a snail’s pace,” he stated. “Some government functionaries are undermining the talks and misinforming the public on the state of our engagement.”
He accused government negotiators of employing delay tactics and failing to demonstrate genuine commitment to improving the Nigerian university system. According to him, the proposals so far on the table fall far short of what is needed to address the massive brain drain in public universities or to attract top scholars from within and outside the country.
“The current offers will neither reverse the exodus of academics nor make our universities globally competitive,” Muhammad said.
He reminded the public that ASUU had already issued a one-month ultimatum to the Federal Government to respond satisfactorily to its demands, warning that the deadline is fast approaching. Key unresolved issues include improved conditions of service, revitalisation funding for public universities, and the implementation of previous agreements and memoranda of action.
The Kano Zone appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations, students, parents and other stakeholders to intervene urgently and prevail on the government to do the needful in order to avert another round of industrial action.
“We do not take strike lightly,” Muhammad stressed. “But if government continues to toy with the future of our universities, ASUU will have no option but to resume its suspended struggle.”
The union’s warning heightens fears of fresh disruptions to academic calendars across public universities, with millions of students potentially affected if negotiations collapse and ASUU declares another nationwide strike.
