ASUU gives Sokoto govt ultimatum over unfulfilled agreement, threatens strike

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sokoto State University (SSU) chapter, has given the Sokoto State Government a two-week ultimatum to implement the signed agreements reached.

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This is contained in a statement signed by the branch Chairman and Secretary, Dr. Bello Musa and Zulkallaini Shehu respectively, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Sokoto.

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The union said the action followed a meeting held with the Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hamza Maishanu, along with other management officials and ASUU representatives, after the expiration of a two-month period earlier agreed.

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“After extensive deliberations, an agreement was reached and signed by both parties that the union’s demands will be settled within a two-week timeframe by the government, as the ministry promised to communicate the union’s demands to the Visitor, the Sokoto State Governor.

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“Members raised serious concern about the offer, as this was not the first time the government reneged on agreements with the union.

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“The union’s demands were captured in an agreement willingly reached and signed with the government on March 4, 2024,” the statement said.

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It added that the union might embark on an indefinite strike in the state-owned university if its demands were not met.

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The officials explained that the union had reviewed its earlier resolution taken on Aug. 24, 2025, and assessed the level of the state government’s commitment to addressing the lingering issues over the non-payment of its members’ entitlements.

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They recalled that issues of the ASUU/FGN Agreement 2025 were brought up and joined with the earlier outstanding issues, for which the union also reached another agreement with the government through the Ministry for Higher Education on April 28, 2025.

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According to them, the government side requested a two-month timeframe within which all the union’s outstanding issues would be settled.

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“At the expiration of the period, the government partially implemented the salary component of the agreement, which the union applauded and appreciated, as the university became the first state university in the North-West to partially implement the salary component of the agreement,” it added.

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They listed the demands to include: proper and complete implementation of the salary component of the ASUU/FGN Agreement 2025, payment of outstanding Earned Academic Allowance (EAA).

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Others, according to them, are remittance of outstanding third-party deductions, payment of arrears for the 25 per cent – 35 per cent salary increment, and payment of accumulated promotion arrears.

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The union called on stakeholders and people of Sokoto to prevail on the government to fulfil its promises to facilitate a sustainable and harmonious industrial working relationship in the university.

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(NAN)

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