By Milcah Tanimu

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a stern warning, indicating a possible strike if the federal government does not address the issue of its members’ salaries and the funding challenges faced by universities.

Speaking during a press conference held in Uyo on Monday, Comrade Happiness Uduk, Chairman of the ASUU Calabar Zone, highlighted the collective concerns of chairpersons from several universities, including Abia State University, Akwa Ibom State University, Ebonyi State University, Federal University Ndufu-Alike, University of Cross River State, University of Calabar, and University of Uyo.

Uduk emphasized that university lecturers’ salaries have remained stagnant for 15 years, contrasting sharply with other sectors such as the legislature, police, armed forces, and judiciary, which have seen multiple salary reviews during the same period.

Furthermore, Uduk expressed dismay over the lack of significant disbursements following the initial release of N200 billion out of the promised N1.3 trillion by the federal government in 2013 to revitalize public universities.

She criticized the government’s allocation of N90 billion towards pilgrimages while neglecting the crucial education sector.

In a separate development, ASUU’s Abuja zone voiced dissatisfaction with the continued use of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) for salary payments, despite the federal government’s directive to remove tertiary institutions from the platform four months ago.

Salahu Mohammed Lawal, the coordinator of the Abuja zone, addressed this issue during a press conference held in Abuja, noting that it contradicted the agreement reached during the January 11, 2024 stakeholders’ meeting at the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The Abuja zone comprises notable institutions such as the University of Abuja, Federal University, Lafia, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Ibrahim Badamasi University, Lapai, and Nasarawa State University, Keffi.