ASUU strike-free era bringing relief to families, says Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has hailed the absence of industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) since he assumed office, describing it as a significant achievement of his administration and “an answer to the nation’s prayers.”

The President made the remarks on Tuesday while receiving the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the State House in Abuja.

Tinubu said the stability currently being enjoyed in Nigeria’s public universities has spared students and parents the disruptions that had become a recurring feature of the country’s education system.

According to him, university students can now complete their academic programmes within the stipulated duration without fears of prolonged strikes.

“None of your children in university today, and I would say they are all your children because you are reverend fathers, can say a four-year course is not four years,” the President said.

“ASUU is not on strike. They are not bringing agony to your homes. Is that not an answer to our prayers? To me, that’s an answer.”

The President said the development reflects one of the measurable gains recorded by his administration despite the difficult economic realities confronting the country.

Tinubu acknowledged that Nigerians have endured hardship following the economic reforms introduced by his government but insisted that the country is gradually overcoming inherited challenges.

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“I inherited the assets and liabilities of my predecessor, and I’ve been running with it,” he said.

“But this government has stabilised and there is prosperity on the horizon. The quality of life is improving.”

The President also expressed optimism that Nigeria would overcome its security challenges, urging citizens to remain united and hopeful.

“We don’t have another country but here. This Nigeria,” Tinubu said.

“And we revert to our national anthem, in its complexity, diversity, we shall thrive, rejoice and be good to all of us.”

His comments come amid continued efforts by the Federal Government to maintain industrial harmony in the nation’s tertiary education sector after years of repeated disputes between ASUU and successive administrations over funding, university autonomy, staff welfare and the implementation of previous agreements.

For more than two decades, strikes by ASUU significantly disrupted academic activities in public universities, forcing many students to spend years beyond the normal duration of their programmes.

Between 1999 and 2022, the union embarked on several industrial actions that cumulatively led to more than five years of lost academic time across Nigeria’s public university system.

The most prolonged strike occurred in 2022 when ASUU suspended academic activities for eight months in a dispute with the Federal Government over funding, earned allowances, university revitalisation and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

Since President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, the Federal Government has maintained engagement with university unions, helping to avert prolonged nationwide strikes while pursuing reforms aimed at improving the education sector.

The President’s remarks underscore his administration’s position that sustained industrial peace in public universities is critical to improving educational standards, restoring confidence in Nigeria’s higher education system and ensuring students graduate within the expected timeframe.