Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Owerri Zone, have expressed concern over what they described as the Federal Government’s failure to fully implement the 2025 agreement reached with the union, warning that the delay could disrupt academic activities in Nigerian universities.

The union called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address outstanding issues relating to salaries, pensions, and staff welfare in order to sustain industrial peace within the university system.

The appeal was made on Tuesday during a press briefing at the ASUU Secretariat of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka by the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU Owerri Zone, Prof. Dennis Aribodor.

Prof. Aribodor, accompanied by other union officials, criticised what he described as the inconsistent and distorted implementation of the agreement across federal and state universities.

He urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, students, parents, the Nigeria Labour Congress, civil society organisations, and the media to pressure governments at all levels to fully implement the agreement.

The ASUU Owerri Zone comprises Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State University, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

According to Prof. Aribodor, the union is worried that the goodwill generated after the unveiling of the 2025 FG-ASUU agreement in January may fade if the government continues to delay full implementation.

He said the government had yet to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee, which was expected to oversee and guide the execution of the agreement.

The ASUU leader alleged that some federal university administrators were selectively implementing parts of the agreement, particularly allowances meant for academic staff.

He also criticised state governments, especially in the South-East, for failing to implement the agreement despite participating in the negotiations.

Prof. Aribodor noted that unresolved issues still affecting members include arrears linked to the 25–35 per cent salary award, unpaid promotion arrears, pension contributions, union dues, cooperative deductions, and national housing fund remittances.

He further faulted the Federal Government’s proposed National Research and Innovation Development Fund announced by the Minister of Education, saying the union was not consulted despite provisions already contained in the FG-ASUU agreement.

According to him, the agreement recommended funding for research and innovation at a minimum of one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.

The union also rejected what it described as attempts to alter the objectives of the proposed research fund, insisting that the government should adhere to the framework agreed upon during negotiations.

ASUU warned that failure to address the outstanding issues could threaten stability in public universities and lead to renewed industrial unrest.