ASUU-KASU Softens Strike Stance, Commends Kaduna Government Over University Reforms

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter, has commended the Kaduna State Government for addressing some longstanding challenges confronting the institution.

However, the union urged Governor Uba Sani’s administration to resolve other outstanding issues affecting workers and the university. The ASUU-KASU Chairman, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, made the call during a press briefing in Kaduna on the union’s two-week ultimatum over working conditions and other challenges at KASU.

ASUU Commends Government’s Intervention

Abdullahi explained that the union’s position was not intended to castigate the government. Instead, he said ASUU wanted to draw attention to areas requiring further intervention to strengthen the university and improve conditions for its workers.

“Where you have done something, we commend you, and where there is an issue, we bring it to your attention to address,” he said.

The chairman recalled that the government had addressed some issues contained in previous agreements with the union. These included matters relating to salaries and allowances, although several other demands remained unresolved. According to him, three of about 10 issues previously presented by the union had been addressed, while seven were still outstanding.

Abdullahi also praised the government for reviewing a previous decision to increase school fees at the institution. He recalled that ASUU had opposed the increase because of its potential impact on students.

“When the current government came about, they reviewed the decision and we commend them for that,” he said.

Meanwhile, the chairman stressed that ASUU’s interventions were not limited to the welfare of its members. He said the union was also concerned about protecting the university system and ensuring that tertiary education in Kaduna State remained competitive.

According to him, ASUU considered teaching, research and community service among its major responsibilities. He therefore called for sustained government support, improved staff welfare and adequate funding to enable KASU to retain its academic workforce.

Chairman Highlights KASU’s Potential

Abdullahi also praised KASU’s performance despite the challenges confronting the institution. He described the university as an institution capable of serving Kaduna State for generations if it receives adequate support from the government.

“Roads would come and go. Physical infrastructure would not live more than 30 to 50 years. But KASU is an institution we hope and pray will still be here for the next 100 or 200 years,” he said.

He further argued that KASU had recorded achievements comparable to those of older and more established universities. According to him, the institution had maintained a strong foundation and continued to compete favourably within the Nigerian university system.

“I am not even talking about state universities. Federally established universities, first-generation universities, we go to places and we beat them, hands down,” Abdullahi said.

Consequently, he appealed to the state government to view the outstanding challenges as an opportunity to strengthen KASU. He said better funding and improved working conditions would help the university maintain its standards and retain experienced academic staff.

The chairman also urged the government to implement the new Federal Government-ASUU agreement. He said its provisions could benefit both university workers and the administration through improved funding, staff welfare and management.

ASUU Says Strike Is Not Its Priority

Despite issuing a two-week ultimatum, Abdullahi said the union was not eager to embark on industrial action. Instead, he maintained that dialogue remained the preferred means of resolving the issues between the union and government.

“Usually, people have this wrong notion that ASUU always wants to embark on strike. That is not our desire or passion,” he said.

According to him, the purpose of the briefing was to bring the university’s challenges to the attention of the government and the public. He expressed hope that the issues would be resolved before the ultimatum expires.

Abdullahi further assured the government that the union remained ready for discussions at any time. He said ASUU would welcome any intervention capable of restoring peace and stability to the institution.

“Even if the government calls us now, we are ready to move. Anything that will bring peace to the system, stability, that is what we want,” he said.

The chairman also appealed to Governor Sani to see the situation as an opportunity to strengthen KASU and leave a lasting legacy in Kaduna’s education sector. He maintained that resolving the challenges would benefit students, workers, the government and the wider Kaduna community.

“The government has the opportunity to write its name in gold by actually fixing a problem system they inherited,” he said.

He further urged Kaduna State to maintain its traditional position as a centre of learning. According to him, the state should continue investing in education rather than allow other states to overtake it in the sector.

Government Disputes Claim of 200 Lecturers’ Exodus

The ASUU-KASU dispute has also centred on claims concerning the number of lecturers who have left the university. The union had earlier raised concerns over an alleged exodus of more than 200 lecturers, linking the development to poor working conditions and other unresolved issues.

However, the Kaduna State Government has disputed the figure. The government said its records showed that 59 KASU workers had left for other newly established institutions within the state and other parts of the country.

According to the government, the affected workers left in pursuit of greener pastures. The state therefore rejected the claim that about 200 lecturers had exited the university because of the challenges highlighted by ASUU-KASU.

Despite the disagreement over the figures, the union and government appear to have left room for further discussions. ASUU-KASU has repeatedly indicated its willingness to negotiate, while the government has continued to highlight measures taken to support the institution.

The outcome of the ongoing engagement could determine whether the union proceeds with industrial action after its two-week ultimatum. For now, however, ASUU-KASU says its priority remains dialogue, improved working conditions and the long-term stability of KASU.