Lecturers at Kaduna State University have begun a two-week warning strike over unresolved issues concerning salaries, allowances and university autonomy.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, KASU chapter, announced the strike on Thursday. The decision followed an emergency meeting with members of the union. ASUU-KASU said the Kaduna State Government failed to address some of its demands after receiving a two-week ultimatum on August 12.
ASUU lists outstanding demands
The union said the government approved N300m for the payment of Earned Academic Allowance. However, ASUU-KASU said the approval did not settle all the issues raised by its members. The lecturers are also demanding the implementation of the 25-35 per cent salary agreement. They want the government to pay outstanding promotion arrears and respect the university’s autonomy.
According to the union, members had given the government enough time to resolve the issues through dialogue. The expiration of the ultimatum, without a satisfactory response, prompted the warning strike. ASUU-KASU said it would review the situation after two weeks. Members will then decide on the next step based on the government’s response.
“And after serious deliberations, it was agreed we embark on two weeks warning strike, after which we will come back to take a definite stand. And this is if, at the end of the two weeks, nothing was forthcoming, we have to close the university.”
Kaduna government continues negotiations
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government has continued talks with ASUU-KASU and other university-based unions. The government recently constituted a nine-member committee to negotiate with the unions. The committee will consider their outstanding demands and other issues affecting staff welfare.
The unions involved include the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, the Non-Academic Staff Union and the National Association of Academic Technologists. The Secretary to the Kaduna State Government, Abdulkadir Meyere, said the committee would conduct a comprehensive review of the unions’ demands.
Meyere also cited the N300m approval for Earned Academic Allowance as part of the government’s efforts to address accumulated entitlements. He said the government remained committed to staff welfare, industrial harmony and stability at KASU.
Strike raises concerns over academic activities
The warning strike has raised fresh concerns about academic activities at the university. ASUU-KASU had maintained that it preferred dialogue with the government. However, the union wants the authorities to take concrete steps to resolve the dispute.
The two-week warning period could provide another opportunity for both sides to reach an agreement. A failure to resolve the issues could lead to further action by the lecturers.
Ashiru criticises Kaduna government
Reacting to the development, 2027 governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress in Kaduna State, Isah Ashiru Kudan, criticised the government’s handling of the education sector. Ashiru spoke through his spokesman, Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi. He said the strike had exposed the gap between government claims and the situation in the education sector.
He also accused the Kaduna State Government of failing to meet some of its obligations to the sector.
“It is not enough for government to make impressive declarations on paper about education when the reality on the ground tells a completely different story. And this is the reason why the government fails to prevent the preventable ASUU-KASU strike.”
Ashiru urged the government to return to the negotiating table and address the lecturers’ concerns. He also called for better funding, improved infrastructure and stronger welfare measures for academic staff. According to him, the government must treat education as a long-term investment in Kaduna State.
The ADC candidate further urged the administration to improve transparency in the management of resources allocated to education.
“Kaduna deserves a government that understands that education is an investment, not an expense. We must move beyond propaganda and paper achievements to measurable improvements that students, lecturers, parents and communities can actually see and feel,” he added.
Read also: Over 200 KASU Lecturers Resign as ASUU Threatens Indefinite Strike
