The Plateau State University branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU-PLASU) has warned of a looming crisis in the university system, citing unpaid salaries, withheld allowances, and poor working conditions for lecturers.
At a press conference held on Tuesday in Bokkos, ASUU-PLASU said lecturers were “teaching on empty stomachs” and conducting research in libraries and laboratories lacking essential materials, leaving academics “forgotten, shamed and demoralised” by successive governments.
Dr. Monday Hassan Zitta, ASUU-PLASU Chairman, who read the statement, said the situation at Plateau State University reflected a broader national challenge in public universities.
He said, “Feelers across campuses indicate that lecturers in Nigerian public universities are, to put it mildly, not happy. They teach students on empty stomachs. They conduct research in libraries and laboratories bereft of essential electronic and physical journals, books, chemicals and reagents.”
“They engage with communities and agencies in rickety cars while encumbered by utility bills, children’s fees, house rents, family upkeep and a legion of other unmet responsibilities. Yet elite Nigerians are quick to blame the universities for ‘producing unemployable graduates’ and failure to initiate innovative research for addressing the country’s problems,” he added.
The union also expressed frustration over **government failure to implement the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, which has remained unresolved for over eight years, stressing that Plateau State University is already feeling the impact of delayed agreements.
Zitta said, “Every major dispute ASUU has had with governments since 2012, when the 2009 Agreement was due for renegotiation, emanated from failure to respect the provisions of the signed document on conditions of service, funding, university autonomy and academic freedom.
”ASUU-PLASU raised particular concern over Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) at Plateau State University, saying the management had unilaterally reduced the monthly payment from N20 million previously agreed with the state government to N10 million, implementing a disputed template without union consent.
“This is a call for industrial disharmony in the university. This action is not only demoralising to members of academic staff of the university, but also a sign that some people do not want the progress of Plateau State University, Bokkos”.
The union listed other unresolved issues with the university management, including pension deductions, gratuity fund management, postgraduate programme remuneration, staff quarters, road network, health insurance, electricity, and provision of buses for academic staff.
Backing the protest, ASUU National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, said the union would not relent until all agreements were implemented.
He said, “We are ready to fight to get the issues resolved, but there won’t be any need for that if only the government can listen at this time and do the needful.”
Similar protests were held on Thursday at the University of Jos and other campuses, highlighting that the challenges facing Plateau State University mirror a nationwide struggle for lecturers’ welfare and university autonomy.
