The leadership of university-based unions in Nigeria has again raised concerns over the Federal Government’s handling of agreements reached with workers, warning that continued neglect of unresolved issues could trigger another round of crisis capable of disrupting the nation’s university system.
The warning was issued during the Educational Writers Association of Nigeria (EWAN) dialogue series held virtually, where leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities accused the government of failing to honour commitments made to university workers.
President of ASUU, Chris Piwuna, stated that despite agreements signed with the Federal Government in January, no meaningful implementation had taken place.
According to him, genuine industrial peace in universities cannot be measured by the silence of a single union alone, but by the smooth operation of the entire university structure.
“Industrial harmony in the system does not mean only one union is working, but that the entire system is working harmoniously together,” Piwuna said.
The ASUU president stressed that unresolved welfare concerns and unimplemented agreements continue to generate tension within public universities, warning that ignoring the concerns of workers could destabilise the academic system once again.
Also speaking at the dialogue, President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, criticised what he described as the Federal Government’s lack of sincerity in its engagement with university unions.
He accused government representatives of failing to demonstrate commitment to negotiated agreements, despite repeated engagements with labour leaders aimed at sustaining industrial peace across tertiary institutions.
Vice President of SSANU Western Zone, Abdulsobur Abdulsalam, expressed frustration over persistent delays in salary payments to members, describing the development as unfair and damaging to workers’ morale.
Abdulsalam said the prolonged salary delays appeared to be either “punishment or a deliberate attempt to sabotage the union,” adding that SSANU had remained in negotiations with the government for nearly two years without significant progress.
He further lamented what he called the government’s failure to respect the principles of collective bargaining, insisting that agreements reached through negotiation should be implemented faithfully to avoid unnecessary disputes.
President of the Educational Writers Association of Nigeria, Mojeed Alabi, noted that the recent move by SSANU and NASU towards strike action did not come as a surprise, given the prolonged warning signs within the university system.
According to him, indications of dissatisfaction among university workers had been evident for more than five months, with concerns repeatedly raised over unpaid entitlements and delayed implementation of agreements.
“If there are challenges on the part of the government, there should be prompt feedback to other parties,” Alabi said.
Chairman of the EWAN Organising Committee, Iyabo Lawal, observed that the dialogue exposed widening gaps between government promises and actual implementation of policies affecting university workers.
She said the discussion highlighted unresolved issues “between agreement and implementation, policy and payment, promise and practice,” while warning that students should not become victims of another prolonged industrial dispute.
Lawal therefore urged all stakeholders to return to the negotiation table and urgently resolve pending issues in the interest of maintaining stability and ensuring a smooth academic calendar in Nigerian universities.
The unions maintained that unless the Federal Government fulfils existing agreements and addresses welfare concerns, industrial unrest could escalate across public tertiary institutions, with serious implications for students and the education sector at large.
