The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has raised concerns over deteriorating welfare conditions in Sokoto State-owned tertiary institutions, warning that a strike action may be imminent if urgent steps are not taken.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, ASUU branches at Sokoto State University and Shehu Shagari University of Education decried what they described as prolonged neglect of lecturers’ welfare despite repeated engagements with the authorities.
The statement, signed by the ASUU-SSU Chairperson, Dr. Bello Musa, and his SSUE counterpart, Dr. Shamsu Kabiru, noted that unresolved welfare issues are beginning to strain industrial harmony and could soon disrupt academic activities, including teaching and research.
According to the union, the lingering issues have persisted despite multiple reminders, stressing that timely intervention would help sustain a stable working environment and improve productivity.
ASUU highlighted key demands, including the immediate implementation of the 2025 Federal Government–ASUU agreement, particularly the payment of peculiar allowances for teaching and research. The union pointed out that while federal universities have begun implementing the agreement, state-owned institutions in Sokoto have yet to follow suit.
It also called for the payment of outstanding Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) owed to lecturers for the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions.
The union stressed that lecturers in state institutions should not be excluded from agreements reached at the national level, especially given the centralized nature of salary negotiations in Nigeria.
ASUU warned that continued inaction by the state government could escalate tensions and lead to disruptions in the academic calendar across the affected institutions.
The development underscores growing pressure on authorities to address funding gaps, improve staff welfare, and honour existing agreements within Nigeria’s higher education sector.
