84 lecturers died in three months over unpaid salaries — ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reported the deaths of 84 of its members between May and August 2024, attributing these losses to economic hardship and unpaid salaries.

ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, made this revelation during an appearance on Channels Television’s socio-political programme “Inside Sources” with Laolu Akande.

“In the past three months, from May to August 2024, Nigerian universities lost 84 academics to death because of what our people are going through,” Osodeke stated. He highlighted the dire situation faced by university staff, noting that the government continues to withhold salaries, implementing policies such as fuel and electricity price hikes amid ongoing financial struggles.

Osodeke criticised the Federal Government’s “no-work, no-pay” policy, which affects salaries during strikes, stating, “Despite this crisis, you are holding somebody’s three-and-a-half or more salaries on the no-work, no-pay. People are trying to survive, and everything is gone now.”

He called for increased funding for university education, highlighting that teachers must be fairly compensated for the sector to work well.

Osodeke stated that after 15 years as a professor, he receives only N420,000 per month, demonstrating that Nigerian professors cannot compete globally without adequate financial support.

On September 25, 2024, ASUU presented a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, requesting the resolution of many outstanding issues, including the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and the release of withheld salaries due to the 2022 industrial action.