Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The academic staff of Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa (SLUK), have firmly rejected the Jigawa State Government's latest offer aimed at resolving the lingering crisis over staff welfare and university funding. The union, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), SLUK branch, has insisted on proceeding with a two-week warning strike starting at midnight on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, unless the government takes meaningful steps to address its demands. The decision was the outcome of the union's 54th Regular Congress Meeting held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, where members expressed deep dissatisfaction with the government's proposal, describing it as inadequate to address the university's challenges.
The union's position was communicated in a statement jointly signed by the ASUU-SLUK Branch Chairman, Comrade Idris Chiromawa, and the Secretary, Comrade Salisu Yunusa. The statement made it clear that the warning strike is the first phase of a planned industrial action. It warned that if the government fails to provide a satisfactory response after the initial two-week warning, the union would be left with no choice but to embark on a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike. This threat underscores the deep-seated frustration among the academic staff, who feel their legitimate grievances have been neglected for too long.
Central to the dispute are several critical issues. A major bone of contention is the university's continued integration into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Management System (IPPMS). The union has consistently called for Sule Lamido University to be exempted from this payment platform, arguing that the system has proven ineffective in addressing the university's peculiar payroll-related challenges. The union is also demanding the payment of outstanding promotion arrears owed to eligible staff since 2024, a long-standing issue that has eroded staff morale.
Furthermore, the union expressed dissatisfaction with the government's position on the two per cent Local Government contribution to the university's funding. It urged the state government to provide a sustainable alternative source of funding for the other state-owned university, highlighting the precarious financial state of tertiary institutions in the state. While the union acknowledged and appreciated the government's intervention in facilitating the prompt release of the approved 2024/2025 Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), it insisted that this gesture alone was insufficient to address the broader systemic problems.
The ASUU-SLUK branch chairman, Idris Chiromawa, has also dismissed claims by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Yusuf Chamo, that the state government only recently received the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement. Chiromawa pointed out that the union had forwarded the agreement to the university management much earlier, and the university council had approved its full implementation as far back as May 21, 2026. He accused the government of foot-dragging and failing to honour its commitments.
The union's decision has set the stage for a major confrontation with the state government. The congress has also constituted a media team to sensitise the public on the challenges confronting the university and explain the union's demands to relevant stakeholders. As the September 15 deadline approaches, the ball is now in the court of the Jigawa State Government. The question remains: will the government take the necessary steps to avert the strike, or will it allow the crisis to escalate, plunging the university into another period of academic disruption? The students and the wider academic community are watching closely, hoping that a resolution can be found before the warning strike begins.
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