Education

Act now to avert strike, ASUU warns education minister, presidency

Published

10 months ago

August 9, 2025

The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Saturday warned the Federal Government to act immediately to prevent a looming strike across government-owned universities.

ASUU said the government had pushed it to the wall in a statement signed by its National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna.

In the statement, ASUU noted that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, recently declared that “not again ever in this country will ASUU or tertiary institutions, trade unions, teachers, lecturers go on strike.”

According to the union, Alausa predicated his declaration on the government’s strategy of “dialogue, maintaining a good relationship with union heads (leaders), and meeting the demands of the unions.”

While ASUU said it shared the minister’s optimism about dialogue and maintaining relationships, the union, however, said the government needed to go beyond words and act on outstanding issues.

“Feelers across campuses indicate that lecturers in Nigerian public universities are, to put it mildly, not happy. They teach students on empty stomachs.

“They conduct research in libraries and laboratories bereft of essential electronic and physical journals, books, chemicals, and reagents.

“They engage with communities and agencies in rickety cars while encumbered by utility bills, children’s fees, house rents, family upkeep, and a legion of other unmet responsibilities.

“Yet, elite Nigerians are quick to blame the universities for ‘producing unemployable graduates’ and failure to initiate innovative research for addressing the country’s problems.

“Our members feel forgotten, shamed, and demoralised by past and present governments,” it said.

ASUU said it had ceaselessly warned owners (government and visitors) of public universities — the Federal and State Governments — of the consequences of breeding a disempowered, dissatisfied, and disoriented intellectual workforce.

“At the centre of the union’s advocacy is respect for collective bargaining principles as enshrined in the International Labour Organisation’s Convention No. 98 of 1949 and Convention No. 154 of 1981.

“The flip-flop disposition of successive governments towards collective bargaining has created an atmosphere of distrust which will take extra effort and energy on the part of the current Federal Government to dispel.

“Nothing illustrates this antipathy better than the frustrated attempts to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, despite the submission of a draft agreement by the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed committee to the government since December 2024, eight clear months ago!

“Every major dispute ASUU has had with governments since 2012, when the 2009 Agreement was due for renegotiation, emanated from failure to respect the provisions of the signed document on (i) conditions of service; (ii) funding; (iii) university autonomy and academic freedom; and (iv) other matters, including the review of the laws governing the National Universities Commission and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

“Agents of government at the state and federal levels have characteristically thrown the underlying principles of the agreement overboard and resorted to platitudes and tokenism. They pick and choose what aspect(s) of the package to ‘renegotiate’ and implement. They discountenance the morale of intellectual workers and basic requirements for delivering on their mandate of teaching, research, and (community) service.

“And now, we hear of attracting academics who were forced into seeking better work environments elsewhere as ‘volunteers’ with the ‘Diaspora Bridge’! On what foundation will the bridge stand? Does this not amount to hypocrisy? Nigerian governments have distracted and deceived university lecturers for too long. They push academics to the point of a strike and turn around to withhold their salaries.

“Our union is also gravely concerned by decisions of some governing councils at the federal and state universities. Universities that are built on merit and scholarship are being turned into commodities for politicians and contractors in the appointment of Vice Chancellors,” it said.

ASUU condemned the attempt to bring back the Acting Vice Chancellor of Alvan Ikoku University of Education, “despite clear evidence that her promotion to the rank of Reader and Professor was fraught with a lot of contradictions.”

It said similar things are unfolding in federal universities.

“For the umpteenth time, ASUU invites all genuine patriots to prevail on Nigeria’s Federal and State Governments to address all lingering labour issues in the Nigerian University System to avert another looming industrial crisis. Nigerian academics are tired of governments’ excuses,” the union said.

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Education

OAU has fulfilled founding fathers’ vision, says TETFund boss

Published

4 days ago

June 5, 2026

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The executive secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono, has said the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has lived to the ideals of its founding fathers, breeding experts in various fields of human endeavors.

Echono, while delivering a lecture to mark the 65th anniversary of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, also said investment in research and innovation systems will generate practical solutions suited to local realities.

The TETFUND boss, in the copy of the paper obtained in Osogbo on Friday, paid glowing tributes to the pioneer and successive Vice Chancellors of the university for sustaining the legacies of the university’s founding fathers.

“The Great Ife has remained a symbol of commitment and purposeful leadership. Expectedly, the university has lived to the ideals of its founding fathers as the breeding ground for erudite scholars, legal luminaries, successful businessmen, diplomats, accomplished technocrats and administrators, including its legion of Nigerian National Merit Award Winners, who are contributing to national development, and have continued to uphold the reputation of the university,” he said.

Speaking on the concept of research and innovation, Echono noted that research and innovation remain key drivers of national development, saying nations that have achieved sustained economic growth and technological advancement have done so through deliberate investment in knowledge generation, scientific inquiry, and practical innovation.

He added that in present day global economy, development does not depend on natural resources, but on the capacity to create, apply, and commercialize knowledge.

“Research and innovation remain key drivers of national development. Nations that have achieved sustained economic growth and technological advancement have done so through deliberate investment in knowledge generation, scientific inquiry, and practical innovation.

“In today’s global economy, development does not depend on natural resources but on the capacity to create, apply, and commercialize knowledge. Nigeria’s developmental challenges, though significant, also present opportunities for innovation-driven transformation.

“Addressing issues such as unemployment, insecurity, hunger, healthcare limitations, industrial underdevelopment, and technological dependence requires sustained investment in research and innovation systems that generate practical solutions suited to local realities,” Echono said.

Commending President Bola Tinubu for focusing on research and innovation that can provide solutions to challenges peculiar to the country and her people, Echono also stressed that building a fully functional and innovation-driven economy requires deliberate efforts to address issues of funding constraints, insufficient infrastructure, inadequate motivation, limited academia-industry collaboration, and challenges in commercialising research outputs.

He emphasised that the role of TETFund in enhancing the capacity of tertiary institutions in the country for research and development through its interventions activities has become increasingly strategic for strengthening Nigeria’s research and innovation ecosystem.

He further said that by supporting research funding, academic capacity development, innovation hubs, commercialisation initiatives, and entrepreneurship programmes, TETFund has been repositioning institutions in the country as active contributors to national development.

He declared that Nigeria’s “Sustainable development largely depends on how effective we are at leveraging knowledge, innovation, and technology to grow national economy, expand opportunities, create jobs and wealth, develop new products and services and improve the well-being of its people. This is essential for national growth, competitiveness, and long-term stability.”

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Simeon Bamire, said the institution has been recording steady growth since it’s establishment about 65 years ago and commanded the sacrifices and commitment of staff members and students towards sustaining legacies of excellence OAU is reputed for.

The PUNCH reports that Bamire announced plans to unveil the N10bn President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Centre of Excellence in Intercultural Dialogue and Youth Empowerment on June 8 as part of activities marking the institution’s 65th anniversary.

Bamire said the centre was designed to serve as a platform for research, dialogue, leadership development, innovation and youth empowerment.

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Education

UNIPORT names ex-Rivers health commissioner new vice-chancellor

Published

4 days ago

June 5, 2026

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The University of Port Harcourt has approved the appointment of Professor Princewill Chike as the 10th Vice Chancellor of the institution.

Chike was the Rivers State Commissioner for Health during the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike.

He will succeed the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, whose tenure will elapse on July 13.

Georgewill, who is the 9th VC of UNIPORT, will preside over his last convocation ceremony scheduled for Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6, 2026.

The university, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday, said Chike’s appointment was approved by the institution’s governing council following a selection process.

The statement titled ‘University of Port Harcourt Appoints Professor Princewill R. Chike as 10th Vice-Chancellor was signed by the Public Relations Officer of UNIPORT, Dr Sam Kpenu.

The statement reads, “The Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt has approved the appointment of Professor Princewill R. Chike as the 10th Vice-Chancellor of the University.

“The appointment was made by the 17th Governing Council following the successful conclusion of the selection process.

“The process was conducted in strict compliance with the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act and the University of Port Harcourt Act.

“It involved the constitution of a Search Team and a Joint Council-Senate Selection Board, which carried out their responsibilities in accordance with the extant laws and regulations governing the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in Nigerian universities.

“The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, congratulated Professor Chike on his appointment and expressed confidence in his ability to provide visionary leadership for the continued growth and development of the university.

“Professor Princewill R. Chike is expected to formally assume office as the 10th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt on 13 July 2026.”

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Education

ASUP gives 21-day ultimatum to poly over poor welfare

Published

6 days ago

June 3, 2026

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The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Federal Polytechnic Ngodo-Isuochi chapter, Abia State, has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the institution’s management over alleged non-implementation of staff welfare demands and breach of statutory obligations.

The ultimatum was contained in a letter addressed to the Rector Dr. Pdi Ndubuisi, dated May 26, 2026, which was jointly signed by the ASUP chairman in the institution, Mr Ador Osundu; and secretary, Mr Onyeneke Arrhenius.

In the letter sighted on Monday, the union’s executive stated that repeated efforts through dialogue, congresses, and official correspondence to draw the attention of the institution’s management had failed to yield action, creating “industrial tension, eroding trust, and threatening the stability of the institution”.

ASUP warned that failure to resolve the issues within 21 days would compel it to activate “all lawful trade union mechanisms, including industrial action”.

The body added that the ultimatum, adopted at the union’s congress on May 22, 2026, takes effect from the date of receipt of the letter (May 26).

ASUP listed six unresolved issues, citing violations of Nigerian labour, health, and anti-corruption laws.

The union accused management of failing to invite the National Housing Fund (NHF) officials for staff sensitisation and enrolment in violation of the National Housing Fund Act, which mandates employer cooperation in deductions and remittances.

Management was also faulted for not facilitating the National Health Insurance (NHIA) enrolment for staff, denying access to affordable healthcare guaranteed under the National Health Insurance Authority Act 2022 and the National Health Act 2014.

ASUP equally raised concerns over alleged diversion of funds approved for a borehole project into a personal account.

“We call for an independent audit of the project fund, failure to do that will force us to petition the Independent Corrupt Practice Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” the lecturers stated.

The union decried what it called a chronic shortage of essential drugs and medical supplies at the health centre, describing it as a failure of the institution’s duty of care. It demanded immediate restocking and engagement of competent medical personnel.

The union expressed dissatisfaction over management’s failure to remit deducted check-off dues from February 2026 till date, calling it a violation of the Trade Unions Act and Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution.

“The union remains open to negotiation until the ultimatum expires, should management invite its leadership for talks.

“As we await management’s action, ASUP reaffirms its commitment to industrial peace, staff welfare, and institutional progress,” the letter stated.

When contacted the Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic Dr Mrs Anukaenyi Blessing, said she cannot comment on the petition because she is not a member of the management board of Institutions.

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