ASUU begins nationwide strike over unpaid salaries

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed its members across the country to commence a nationwide strike over the delayed payment of their June 2025 salaries.

ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, confirmed the development in Abuja, stating that the decision was a direct response to the recurring hardship faced by members due to persistent salary delays, particularly since the federal government moved university payrolls from the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).

Prof. Piwuna criticised what he described as the nonchalant attitude of relevant government officials toward lecturers’ welfare, saying that despite engaging both the Minister of Education and the Office of the Accountant General, no meaningful progress has been made.

“Our members are experiencing hardship. Salaries are often delayed by a week or more. At NEC, we agreed that if salaries are not paid within three days of a new month, members should withdraw their services,” he said.

He further insisted that the salary delays are not due to technical issues with the GIFMIS platform, but rather a deliberate act of negligence by the Office of the Accountant General.

“When funds are eventually released, there are no complaints of underpayment or technical failure. The system works; it’s the handlers who are stalling. We believe this delay is intentional,” Piwuna added.

He warned that apart from salary delays, the union is also concerned about the outstanding N10 billion in Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) owed by the federal government. He noted that although the government initially promised N50 billion, only N40 billion has been disbursed.

“We expect the remaining N10 billion to be paid without further delay to prevent another round of agitation,” he cautioned.

ASUU branches in two federal universities, the University of Jos and the University of Abuja, have already commenced strike action in compliance with the directive.

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