ASUU urges Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara to implement agreement, threaten strike

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sokoto Zone, has urged Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara state governments to implement the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU Agreement to avoid industrial action.

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The Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Abubakar Sabo, made the call on Wednesday in Sokoto, saying that the union would embark on an indefinite strike in the five state-owned universities in the states if its demands were not met.

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He said Kebbi is the worst state that failed to earn Academic Allowances (EAA) from 2014 to date for academic staff of Abdullahi Fodiyo University of Science and Technology, Aliero (AFUSTA), which remained unpaid.

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Other institutions were Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University Katsina (UMYUK) and Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara (ZAMSUT).

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It may interest you to know that despite the public presentation of the agreement in January 2026 and notifying our various state governments and university management, the matter did not yield any positive response.

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“(This is) creating room for bureaucratic delays, inconsistencies and lack of willingness to implement the agreement.

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“The NEC and Zone observe that several state universities are yet to fully implement the salary components of the agreement, including the mainstreaming of Consolidated Academic Tool Allowances (CATA), Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), and Professorial Allowances into the monthly salary structure as agreed.

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“We wish to bring to your notice that several state universities have enjoyed the implementation of the 2025 ASUU-FGN agreement, namely SAZU, EKSU, BOUESTI, UNIOSUN, BSU, OOU, SSU and SSUES, among others,” Sabo said.

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Sabo urged the governments of these three affected states to emulate the Sokoto State Government and urgently do the needful by implementing the agreement to avert the unpalatable consequences of an eventual strike.

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He said that the decision to embark on strike was taken during the Emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the ASUU National Secretariat, Comrade Festus Iyayi Complex, University of Abuja, on June 21.

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” We therefore wish to present our position on the implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement as well as other issues affecting our university system and the nation at large.

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“Our branches note with deep concern the lack of implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement signed between the Federal Government of Nigeria and ASUU,” he added.

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Sabo said that the academic staff of the universities have accumulated promotion arrears and third-party deductions, stressing the need for governments to treat academics with dignity and prompt payment of their lawful entitlements.

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“The continued delay in addressing these issues will lead to brain drain in our universities. NEC and Sokoto Zone are seriously disturbed by the continued neglect of unresolved welfare issues affecting its members in these universities,” he said.

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On UMYUK, Sabo said that the branch maintains a cordial relationship with the visitor, Gov. Dikko Radda, as his administration has continued to pay EAA as one of the commitments he inherited from his predecessor.

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“The Branch is also pushing for the payment of the arrears of the 25 per cent and 35 per cent and minimum wage consequential adjustment for the period of 36 months and other entitlements to avoid an impasse.

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“ZAMSUT has a backlog of arrears of promotion from January 2025 to date,” he said.

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He called on the government to take proper measures by allowing merit-based university leadership appointments guided by due process, accountability and transparency. (NAN)

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