‘Your’re misleading Nigerians, we’ll resume strike – ASUU to Education Minister

The University of Jos branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has accused the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, of issuing “misleading statements” regarding the Federal Government’s fulfilment of agreements with university workers.

In a statement by the branch chairperson, Prof Jurbe Joseph Molwus, the union warned that it may resume its suspended strike if the issues remain unresolved within the next two weeks.

ASUU recalled that it had on October 22, 2025, issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet its outstanding demands or risk a total strike.

The university teachers said that two weeks after the ultimatum, “not much progress has been recorded,” as they are yet to receive their withheld salaries, wage award arrears, and other entitlements.

“As we mobilise for our National Executive Council, NEC meeting scheduled for November 8–9, we expect that outstanding entitlements such as the 3.5 months withheld salaries, 25/35 per cent wage award arrears, promotion arrears, and unpaid salaries of some members would have been paid by now.

“But all we get are press releases from the Honourable Minister of Education. What we need are credit alerts, not misleading statements,” the statement read.

The union also expressed concern that the N50 billion Revitalisation Fund, which the government claimed to have released weeks ago, has not reached any university.

Reacting to the minister’s claim that the government had disbursed N2.3 billion to clear salary and promotion arrears across federal universities, ASUU dismissed the statement as “false and embarrassing,” saying the amount could barely cover the needs of three universities.

“The minister’s claim of clearing the backlog exists only in his imagination. N2.3 billion is grossly inadequate and almost insulting. The minister must state clearly what fraction of the outstanding entitlements this money is meant to cover and for whom,” the union said.