ASUU NSUK threatens industrial action over unmet demands

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) branch, has issued a stark warning to the Nasarawa State Government, signaling a potential breakdown in industrial harmony. The union is protesting the persistent neglect of critical issues affecting its members and the broader university system, despite repeated engagements.

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Unless immediate steps are taken by the Nasarawa State Government to defray all outstanding arrears and address our demands, industrial harmony cannot be guaranteed.

At the heart of the dispute are several unresolved demands, including the urgent implementation of a 40% salary increment recently agreed upon nationally, enhanced university funding, and the payment of outstanding arrears for professorial allowances, Earned Academic Allowance, salary increments, and the national minimum wage adjustments. The union also insists on the domestication of the contributory pension scheme with immediate remittance of government contributions.

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We hereby call on the Nasarawa State Government to urgently address these issues to restore staff morale and ensure effective teaching, research, and infrastructural development.

ASUU NSUK Chairperson Abdulmumini Loko articulated the union's concerns, emphasizing that industrial harmony cannot be guaranteed without immediate government action. He warned that the continued delay in addressing these legitimate demands has severe consequences, such as a decline in educational quality, increased brain drain among academic staff, and disruption of academic activities.

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The continued delay in addressing these legitimate demands has serious consequences, including decline in the quality of education, increased brain drain among academic staff, disruption of academic activities, and erosion of staff welfare and morale.

While ASUU NSUK reaffirms its commitment to dialogue, Loko stressed that the patience of its members is wearing thin. The union urges the Nasarawa State Government to act decisively to resolve these issues promptly, warning that failure to do so will compel ASUU to take lawful steps to protect its members' welfare and rights. This situation highlights the ongoing challenges in funding and managing state-owned universities in Nigeria, impacting both staff morale and the quality of education.

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ASUU NSUK remains committed to dialogue and constructive engagement. However, the patience of our members is not infinite. We therefore urge the Nasarawa State Government to act decisively and responsibly in resolving these issues without further delay.