ASUU and Students Protest Unmet Demands at UNILAG
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), along with students, protested to draw attention to nine unresolved issues with the Federal Government.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), alongside students, staged a protest on Thursday, highlighting nine unresolved issues with the Federal Government. The demonstration aimed to draw attention to the ongoing challenges faced by the union and its impact on university education.
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Protesters, including lecturers and students, gathered at the Julius Berger Hall on the UNILAG campus, wielding placards bearing messages such as "education is life" and "proper funding of university education is non-negotiable." They expressed grievances over the government's failure to meet key demands essential for the effective operation of public universities.
The procession, which started at the Julius Berger Hall, proceeded to the UNILAG gate and returned to the ASUU-UNILAG Secretariat. Throughout the protest, participants sang solidarity songs and distributed handbills outlining their demands to passersby and the university community.
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Key Demands Listed by ASUU-UNILAG:
- Conclusion of renegotiation of the FGN/ASUU agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s draft Agreement of 2021.
- Release of withheld three-and-half months salaries due to the 2022 strike action.
- Payment of unpaid salaries for staff on sabbatical, part-time, and adjunct appointments affected by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
- Settlement of outstanding third-party deductions like check-off dues and cooperative contributions.
- Funding for revitalization of public universities, partly included in the 2023 Federal Government’s Budget.
- Payment of Earned Academic Allowances, also partially covered in the 2023 Federal Government’s Budget.
- Concerns over the proliferation of universities by Federal and State Governments.
- Implementation of the reports of visitation panels to universities.
- Adoption of University Transparency and Accountability Solutions in place of IPPIS.
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Prof. Kayode Adebayo, Chairman of ASUU-UNILAG, emphasized that the protest aimed to raise awareness about the government’s apparent neglect of these critical issues affecting higher education. The union and students seek urgent action from the government to address these concerns and ensure the sustainability and quality of university education in Nigeria.
