The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Akure Zone, has accused the Federal Government of misrepresenting the status of ongoing negotiations with the union and described newly established universities as “crisis centres.”
Speaking to journalists at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, on Thursday, ASUU Akure Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Adeola Egbedokun, expressed concern that the government had proceeded to approve new universities despite a seven-year moratorium on establishing federal tertiary institutions. The freeze, approved by the Federal Executive Council and presided over by President Bola Tinubu, was intended to address concerns over under-utilised institutions, stretched resources, and declining academic standards. However, nine new universities, including one in Epe, Lagos State, were recently granted approval.
Egbedokun, joined by ASUU chairmen from the seven branches under the Akure Zone, criticized the government for prioritizing the creation of new universities while existing institutions remain underfunded. He stated, “It was agreed that for seven years, no license will be granted to any university again, but we all saw what happened a few days ago… Is seven years the same thing as seven days?”
Reviewing the renegotiation process since the suspension of ASUU’s warning strike, Egbedokun confirmed that the National Executive Council rejected the Federal Government’s proposed 35% salary increase for academics, describing it as “tokenistic and insulting.” He stressed that the offer would neither curb the brain drain nor restore dignity to the academic profession.
He further condemned attempts by government officials to misrepresent progress, noting that partial payments of promotion arrears dating back to 2017 and delayed release of third-party deductions “cannot and must not be presented as substantive achievements.”
With less than one month remaining in the window given to the government to address the union’s demands, Egbedokun urged authorities to “act with clarity, commitment, and integrity to reach a comprehensive and lasting resolution.” He reiterated ASUU’s demands, which include the completion of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement renegotiation, full payment of salary arrears and promotion arrears, release of unremitted third-party deductions, and sustainable funding for Nigerian universities. He warned that failure to meet these demands could trigger industrial unrest across the nation’s university campuses.
ASUU leaders present at the briefing included Prof. Anthony Odiwe (OAU), Prof. Bamidele Mogaji (FUTA), Prof. Sola Afolayan (EKSU), Dr. Abraham Oladebeye (UNIMED), Dr. Abayomi Fagbuagun (FUOYE), Dr. Babatope Ogundare (BOUESTI), and Dr. Bosun Ajisafe (Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo).
The Federal Ministry of Education has clarified that presidential approval for establishing the Federal University of Science and Technology, Epe, and other new institutions was granted prior to the FEC’s seven-year moratorium, with Minister Tunji Alausa confirming the approvals were made through a Presidential Executive Memo before the council’s decision.
