ASUU: "We've Been Paid the Same Salary for 15 Years!"
According to Aribodor, the reluctance of the Federal Government to conclude the renegotiation of the agreement has resulted in academic staff members receiving the same salary structure for 15 years, despite the significant devaluation of the naira against the dollar during this period.
AKACHI NOEL 
The Owerri zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed dismay over the consistent payment of the same salary to its members for the past 15 years. This revelation was made during a press conference held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, by Dennis Aribodor, the zonal coordinator of ASUU.
Aribodor highlighted the failure of successive administrations, including those of former President Muhammadu Buhari and current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to address the main elements of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement and other pertinent issues that led to the nationwide strike action from February to October 2022.
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According to Aribodor, the reluctance of the Federal Government to conclude the renegotiation of the agreement has resulted in academic staff members receiving the same salary structure for 15 years, despite the significant devaluation of the naira against the dollar during this period.
The ASUU coordinator urged President Tinubu's administration to expedite the renegotiation process and direct an upward review of academic staff emoluments to reflect current economic realities. He emphasized the importance of signing the draft agreement reached with the Nimi Briggs committee to address the longstanding grievances of university teachers.
Furthermore, ASUU members expressed concern about the impact of stagnant salaries on the performance of lecturers, citing challenges faced by universities in retaining experienced staff and producing competent graduates.
Additionally, ASUU accused the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Prof. Nnenna Oti, of intimidation and victimization of its members over their objection to the appointment of Dr. Isa Ibrahim Ali Pantami as a professor in the institution.
The union called for the reversal of the illegal appointment and urged the Minister of Education and other stakeholders to intervene to ensure compliance with university regulations.
Other demands made by ASUU included the release of withheld salaries, payment of arrears of earned academic allowances, reversal of the illegal dissolution of university governing councils, and the exit of tertiary institutions from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
