The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has refuted claims by the Federal Government that it has released the N50 billion revitalisation fund for public universities, insisting that no such money has reached the institutions.
In a statement signed on Wednesday by the union’s spokesperson, Prof. Jurbe Molwus, ASUU maintained that none of its key demands has been met, even as it prepares for its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 8 and 9, 2025.
Molwus recalled that the union suspended its two-week warning strike in October based on assurances from top government officials that concrete proposals and payments would follow. However, he lamented that university workers were yet to receive any payments for outstanding entitlements such as 3.5 months withheld salaries, wage award arrears, promotion arrears, and unpaid salaries.
“As ASUU mobilises for its NEC meeting, we expected that some of the outstanding entitlements would have been paid to university workers by now. But all we get are press releases from the Honourable Minister of Education. What we need are credit alerts, not misleading statements,” Molwus said.
He described as “untrue” the Federal Government’s announcement that N50 billion had been released for university revitalisation, claiming that the money has not been disbursed.
“It is sad to note that even the N50bn revitalisation fund the FGN claimed to have released some weeks ago is yet to reach the universities. We do not know why the Minister of Education is still keeping it,” he stated.
Molwus also challenged the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Maruf Alausa, over his claim that N2.3 billion had been released to clear salary and promotion arrears in all federal universities.
“But as we speak, no academic staff has received such payment. The minister’s claim of clearing arrears may exist only in his imagination,” Molwus said, adding that the amount mentioned by the minister was “grossly inadequate” to address the backlog of entitlements owed across the nation’s universities.
“The big question for the minister is: can a meagre N2.3bn settle the arrears of all federal university workers? Absolutely not. That amount can barely cover three large universities. It is almost embarrassing if not insulting,” he added.
The union urged the public to hold the Federal Government accountable, warning that it may be forced to resume its suspended strike if its demands are not met before November 21, 2025 — the expiration of its four-week ultimatum.
“We hereby call on the press, students, parents and the general public to prevail on the FGN to act responsibly. If the government fails to meet our demands within the next two weeks, ASUU should not be blamed for resuming its suspended strike,” the statement read.
ASUU clarified that its earlier suspension of the strike was an act of goodwill in the spirit of collective bargaining, expecting the same from the government.
The union had embarked on a two-week “total and comprehensive” strike on October 12 after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued on September 28, citing the government’s failure to implement agreements on staff welfare, university funding, and the 2009 ASUU-FGN pact.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government criticised the strike, enforcing a “No Work, No Pay” policy and directing universities to conduct headcounts of academic staff.
Following growing tension, the Senate intervened, with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Aliyu Dandutse, pledging to mediate fresh negotiations between ASUU, the Ministry of Education, and the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The Senate also promised to engage the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to address the lingering land dispute involving the University of Abuja.
As the November deadlines approach, tension continues to mount across university campuses, with lecturers and students anxiously awaiting government action to avert another round of nationwide disruption.