By Perawarri Precious
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has revealed a disturbing trend, reporting the death of 84 lecturers over the last three months, a crisis the union attributes to unpaid salaries and the financial hardships faced by its members as a result of unfair treatment by the Nigerian government. These revelations have sparked outrage, with ASUU asserting that many of these deaths were preventable, highlighting the significant toll the prolonged non-payment of salaries has had on lecturers across Nigeria.
ASUU, in a recent press conference, made it known that the emotional and financial stress imposed on Nigerian lecturers, stating that the government’s persistent delay in salary payments has caused immense suffering. Many lecturers have struggled to meet basic needs such as healthcare, transportation, and housing.
“In the past three months, from May to August (2024), Nigerian universities lost 84 academics to death. In three months, because of what our people are going through.
“Despite this crisis, you are holding somebody’s three-and-half or more salaries on the no-work, no-pay, you are owing this money. People are trying to survive, you introduced fuel increase, you introduced electricity increase, and everything is gone now.” ASUU National President Professor Emmanuel Osodeke said,
Insight on ASUU Ongoing Battle for Fair Compensation
For years, ASUU has been locked in a protracted battle with the federal government over salary arrears and better working conditions. The unpaid salaries have often been at the center of these disputes, with the government insisting that lecturers should not be compensated for periods during which industrial actions were ongoing. However, ASUU maintains that the backlog must be cleared, particularly as lecturers are still required to make up for lost academic sessions upon their return to work.
Osodeke’s recent comment is a strong indication of the union’s frustration with the government’s stance. He stressed that the current result is both unfair and unsustainable, adding that the constant financial uncertainty has led many lecturers to extreme measures in their personal lives.
Implications for Nigeria’s Education Sector
The unresolved salary disputes between the government and ASUU have had severe consequences for the country’s tertiary education system. With unpaid salaries mounting, many lecturers have been unable to focus on their academic responsibilities, leading to delayed academic sessions and, in some cases, reduced educational quality.
Furthermore, the inability of lecturers to access basic healthcare, as highlighted by ASUU, is reflective of the inadequacies in support systems for educators. The union has called on the government to address the healthcare needs of its members, emphasizing that lecturers should not have to choose between their professional duties and their health.
This latest development further intensifies the ongoing standoff between ASUU and the government, with both parties entrenched in their positions. The union has warned that if the salary backlog remains unpaid, future academic sessions could be disrupted, prolonging the current crisis in the country’s educational sector.
