The Academic Staff Union of Universities has expressed optimism that the newly signed agreement with the Federal Government will prevent industrial action for at least the next three years.
ASUU and the Federal Government on Wednesday signed and unveiled a fresh agreement designed to improve the quality of Nigeria’s university education system and ensure stability across public institutions. The union has, over the years, embarked on multiple strikes over issues bordering on university funding, lecturers’ welfare, and the implementation of past agreements.
Speaking on a television programme on Thursday, ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, said the success of the new agreement depends largely on proper implementation. He noted that the pact contains measurable components that would allow both parties to track progress and address issues before they escalate.
Piwuna explained that the agreement provides for the establishment of an Implementation Monitoring Team to be domiciled at the National Universities Commission and coordinated by the office of the NUC Executive Secretary. He said the team would continuously monitor compliance to ensure that all aspects of the agreement are respected.
According to the ASUU president, the long-standing 2009 agreement, which had been at the centre of several industrial disputes, has now been replaced by the newly unveiled 2025 agreement. He said all future references for implementation would be based solely on the new pact.
Piwuna added that while aspects of earlier agreements, including the 1992 pact, may still be referenced for historical context, they would no longer form the basis for implementation. He stressed that the 2025 agreement now serves as the operative framework guiding engagements between ASUU and the Federal Government.
He expressed hope that with effective monitoring and timely engagement, the new agreement would eliminate the need for strikes until it comes up for review in three years.
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