The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has restated the Federal Government’s commitment to maintaining industrial harmony across Nigeria’s federal tertiary institutions.
Addressing recent developments, Dr. Alausa clarified that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, are not on strike. His statement comes in response to a directive issued by ASUU’s National Executive Committee urging its members to halt services until their June salaries are paid.
ASUU’s President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, had announced that branches nationwide were instructed to withdraw their services over delayed June 2025 salary payments, citing the union’s No Pay, No Work stance. He attributed the salary delays to issues linked to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation following the transition from the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
However, Dr. Alausa, in a statement released on Tuesday by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations, highlighted that the prevailing calm in tertiary institutions is the outcome of continuous dialogue, mutual respect, and the administration’s sincere efforts to resolve issues raised by both academic and non-academic unions.
“It is not by coincidence that Nigerian public tertiary institutions have remained open and stable for the past two years, something that has not happened in several decades,” Dr. Alausa remarked.
He described this stability as a result of the government’s steadfast commitment to building respectful relationships with stakeholders in the education sector and to addressing their demands systematically and consistently.
Dr. Alausa emphasized that the welfare of all university staff remains a central focus for the Federal Government, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda centered on human capital development.
He assured that the government will persist in efforts to enhance working conditions and safeguard the academic calendar.
“Our children are the heartbeat of the nation, and their uninterrupted education is non-negotiable. The Federal Government will continue to work closely with all unions in the education sector to ensure that the gates of our institutions remain open,” he said.
The Minister concluded by urging the public to dismiss any misinformation suggesting that ASUU is currently on strike, emphasizing that the ongoing stability in Nigeria’s universities is a collective achievement that must be upheld.
