The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter, has commended the Kaduna State Government for addressing some of the longstanding challenges confronting the institution, while urging further intervention to improve staff welfare and strengthen the university.

The ASUU-KASU Chairman, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, made the remarks during a press briefing in Kaduna on the union’s two-week ultimatum to the state government over what it described as poor working conditions and other challenges affecting the university.

Abdullahi explained that the union’s position was not intended to castigate the government but to draw attention to areas requiring further intervention.

“Where you have done something, we commend you, and where there is an issue, we bring it to your attention to address,” he said.

The chairman recalled that the government had addressed some issues contained in previous agreements with the union, particularly those relating to salaries and allowances.

He said that out of about 10 issues previously presented by the union, three had been addressed, while seven remained outstanding.

Abdullahi particularly commended the government for reviewing an earlier decision to increase school fees, which ASUU had opposed because of its potential impact on students.

“When the current government came about, they reviewed the decision and we commend them for that,” he said.

He stressed that ASUU’s interventions were not solely focused on the welfare of its members but also on protecting the university system and ensuring that tertiary education in Kaduna State remained competitive.

According to him, the union’s responsibilities extend to teaching, research and community service, making adequate funding and staff welfare critical to the sustainability of the institution.

The ASUU chairman also praised KASU’s academic achievements, saying the university had performed creditably despite the challenges facing it.

He described the institution as a long-term asset that could serve Kaduna State for generations if properly supported.

“Roads would come and go. Physical infrastructure would not live more than 30 to 50 years. But KASU is an institution we hope and pray will still be here for the next 100 or 200 years,” he said.

Abdullahi said KASU had started on “the very right footing” and had recorded achievements that compared favourably with those of older universities.

“I am not even talking about state universities. Federally established universities, first-generation universities, we go to places and we beat them, hands down,” he said.

He therefore called for sustained government support, improved staff welfare and adequate funding to enable the university to retain qualified academic staff and maintain its standards.

ASUU: We Are Not Eager to Strike

On the two-week ultimatum issued to the state government, Abdullahi clarified that the union was not seeking industrial action, stressing that dialogue remained its preferred option.

“Usually, people have this wrong notion that ASUU always wants to embark on strike. That is not our desire or passion,” he said.

He explained that the briefing was aimed at drawing the attention of the government and the public to the outstanding issues in the hope that they would be resolved before the expiration of the ultimatum.

According to him, the union remained available for discussions with the government and would respond positively to any invitation aimed at resolving the issues.

“Even if the government calls us now, we are ready to move. Anything that will bring peace to the system, stability, that is what we want,” he said.

Abdullahi also urged the state government to implement the new Federal Government-ASUU agreement, saying its provisions could benefit university workers and improve funding and management of the institution.

He appealed to the government to view the outstanding challenges as an opportunity to strengthen KASU and leave a lasting legacy in Kaduna State’s education sector.

“The government has the opportunity to write its name in gold by actually fixing a problem system they inherited,” he said.

The ASUU-KASU chairman further urged the government to sustain Kaduna’s reputation as a centre of learning, warning that the state should not allow other states to overtake it in educational development.