ASUU Chairman Alleges Officials Are Blocking Access to Niger Governor Over IBB University Dispute

ASUU Chairman Alleges Officials Are Blocking Access to Niger Governor Over IBB University Dispute

Union says direct meeting with Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago could resolve lingering welfare and funding concerns

The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) University, Lapai Chapter, Dr. Galadima Audu Bala, has alleged that officials are frustrating the union's repeated efforts to secure a meeting with the Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umaru Bago, over unresolved welfare and funding issues affecting the institution. 

Speaking during an interview on ONE-ON-ONE on Lapai TV, Dr. Galadima said the union has exhausted several channels of communication, including engagements with the university management, governing council, relevant ministries, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), but has been unable to obtain direct access to the governor.

According to him, ASUU believes many of the outstanding issues could be resolved through direct dialogue with Governor Bago. However, he alleged that unnamed officials responsible for facilitating access to the governor have consistently prevented such a meeting from taking place.

"We have made several requests to meet the governor because there are issues only he can resolve. Every attempt to see him has been frustrated," Dr. Galadima said.

He noted that the union's concerns include the implementation of the 2025 agreement on lecturers' welfare, payment of revised academic salaries and allowances, settlement of outstanding Earned Academic Allowances, and improved funding for IBB University.

Dr. Galadima argued that inadequate funding has affected teaching and learning conditions within the university, citing deteriorating classroom facilities, infrastructure challenges, and limited resources for research and academic development.

He further stated that while the relationship between ASUU and the university management remains cordial, many of the issues raised require policy decisions from the Niger State Government.

The ASUU chairman warned that although the union remains committed to dialogue, failure to address the outstanding concerns could leave it with no option but to embark on industrial action. He maintained that such action would be a last resort and expressed confidence that the governor would respond positively if granted the opportunity to hear the union directly.

The interview followed ASUU's press conference held at the IBB University auditorium, where the union outlined its demands and called for urgent government intervention on staff welfare and university funding. 

As of the time of filing this report, the Niger State Government had not publicly responded to the specific allegations made by the ASUU chairman regarding access to the governor or the implementation of the welfare agreement.