Another round of industrial crisis looms in the country’s universities as aggrieved members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have again, issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve all pressing issues with the union.

The union, had earlier in August, given government 21 days to resolve all lingering issues dating as far back as 2009.ASUU, in a statement by its National President, Emmanuel Osodeke, highlighted the unresolved issues to include conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s draft agreement of 2021; release of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries due to the 2022 strike action; release of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS); release of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions; funding for revitalisation of public universities, partly captured in the 2023 budget; as well as payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), partly captured in the 2023 budget.

Others include the proliferation of universities by Federal and state Governments; implementation of the reports of visitation panels to universities; illegal dissolution of governing councils; and University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a replacement for Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Osodeke said the union should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony that may arise from government’s failure to seize the new opportunity offered by ASUU to nip the looming crisis in the bud.

The ASUU chief accused the President Tinubu administration of continuing with the old antics, characterised by bureaucratic bottlenecks, time-buying tactics, denial of documentations, and lack of budgetary provisions, to confound and complicate matters.

Osodeke noted that funds were allocated for payment of EAA and revitalisation of public universities in the 2023 budge, wondering why they were not implemented.

He, subsequently, called on well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the government to address the outstanding issues, saying the ruling class should stop paying lip service to funding public education, which they benefited from in their days.