By Winnie Onu, Makurdi
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nsukka Zone, has accused the Federal Government of deliberately destroying Nigeria’s future by failing to honour and conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
Speaking at a press conference held at Benue State University, Makurdi, the Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Christian Opata, said the government’s “insincerity and deceit” toward the education sector show a dangerous disregard for national development.
“The Federal Government is deliberately killing the future of our nation through its lip service to education. The slow pace and purposeful delay in concluding the renegotiation portend grave danger for our society,” Opata said.
The Nsukka Zone comprises eight universities, including the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN); Benue State University (BSU); Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM); Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT); Kogi State University (KSU); Federal University Lokoja (FUL); Federal University Wukari (FUW); and Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUSHO).
Opata said that despite years of dialogue and signed agreements, the government has repeatedly failed to fulfil its promises, choosing instead to manipulate public perception with “propaganda and half-truths.”
He accused the Minister of Education of misleading Nigerians by initially denying the existence of an agreement with ASUU before later admitting to one.
ASUU said it suspended its recent warning strike in good faith after receiving assurances of renewed talks, expecting that a one-month window would be enough to conclude negotiations.
However, Opata lamented that no meaningful progress has been made since the suspension.
“Government’s offer is far below what was even rejected in 2022. It cannot reverse the worsening brain drain or motivate scholars to stay in our universities. Is the government bereft of records or simply buying time?,” he said.
The union also accused government officials of misrepresenting partial payments of arrears and deductions as evidence of progress.
Opata insisted that such actions amount to paying long-overdue debts, not fulfilling negotiation terms.
“The government must stop trying to win the narrative and focus on solving the problems. The only way to secure Nigeria’s future is by investing meaningfully in education,” he added.
ASUU said the government’s claim of economic hardship was false, citing data from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) showing a 70 percent increase in federal revenues between 2022 and 2024.
“It is not a lack of money but a lack of political will,” Opata argued, calling for a “living wage” for academics.
He said, “Today, a professor’s monthly salary cannot afford a return ticket from Lagos to Abuja. Senior lecturers can’t even pay to publish their research. This is unacceptable.”
The union urged traditional rulers, students, labour groups, and civil society to pressure the government to act in good faith and prevent another shutdown of public universities.
“We have done our part by suspending the strike in the national interest. The ball is now in the government’s court not to widen the trust deficit,” Opata said.
