The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Abdullahi Fodio University of Science and Technology, Kebbi State branch, has issued a fresh warning regarding imminent industrial action following the non payment of Earned Academic Allowances dating back to 2014. Dr Musa Isah Fakai, the union chairman, disclosed this development in a statement released on Wednesday. He expressed significant frustration over what he termed the persistent neglect of staff welfare and unresolved labour issues at the institution.

Fakai noted that the demands were part of ongoing efforts by the union to draw attention to labour unfriendly conditions at the university. He stated that similar concerns had been raised repeatedly through press briefings, official statements, and other engagements without any meaningful response from relevant authorities. According to the chairman, key stakeholders, including the Ministry for Higher Education, the university management, and the Governing Council, have failed to adequately address the challenges confronting academic staff.

“The problems remain numerous, and the situation remains critically unaddressed by the relevant stakeholders,” Fakai affirmed. He revealed that the union had expected better responsiveness from the state government regarding the welfare of its members.

The union listed several specific grievances, including the non implementation of the approved remuneration package agreed between the Federal Government and ASUU. Other critical issues include the non payment of wage awards, significant delays in promotions, and the backlog of unpaid promotion arrears. The union also decried the failure to implement annual salary increments for its members, noting that this had worsened the welfare of academic staff for several years.

Despite several communications with the university management and the Kebbi State Ministry for Higher Education, the academic staff claimed they had engaged the authorities without receiving a positive response. Fakai warned that failure by the government to meet these demands could lead to industrial action, stressing that the union would not hesitate to take necessary steps to protect the welfare of its members. While maintaining this stance, the lecturers expressed confidence in Governor Nasir Idris to address the concerns, noting that the issues may not have been brought to his attention.