UNIMAID ASUU Slams FG Over N150,000 Professors’ Retirement Benefit

UNIMAID ASUU Slams FG Over N150,000 Professors’ Retirement Benefit

UNIMAID ASUU slams FG over N150,000 professors’ retirement benefit, calling it a national disgrace. The union warns of strike if demands remain unmet.

ASUU UNIMAID Condemns Poor Treatment of Retired Professors

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) chapter, has strongly criticized the Federal Government over the meagre ₦150,000 monthly retirement benefit for professors under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

During a one-hour protest held on campus, Dr. Abubakar Mshelia, Chairman of UNIMAID ASUU, described the policy as a “national disgrace”, stressing that it undermines the contributions of intellectuals who have dedicated over four decades to Nigeria’s educational system.

“Professors retire on ₦150,000 while inflation exceeds 21%. A country that treats its intellectuals with such disregard cannot expect meaningful progress,” Mshelia said.

Unpaid Salary Arrears and Welfare Concerns

The union also decried the government’s handling of lecturers’ welfare, pointing to unpaid salary arrears of 25–35% wage reward, as well as promotion arrears that have remained unsettled for over four years in several institutions.

Key unresolved ASUU welfare concerns include:

• Unpaid 25–35% salary arrears owed to lecturers.
• Promotion arrears withheld for over four years.
• Non-remittance of third-party deductions.
• Neglect of staff welfare under the Contributory Pension Scheme.

These issues, according to ASUU, continue to demoralize academics and weaken Nigeria’s already fragile university system.

Criticism of New Private Universities

Despite previously announcing a moratorium, the Federal Government recently approved nine new private universities, a move ASUU labeled as “hypocrisy.”

Dr. Mshelia argued that existing universities are grossly underfunded, yet new ones are being established without adequate planning:

“ASUU demands an immediate freeze on the establishment of new universities until existing ones are adequately funded and staffed,” he said.

Rejection of Loan Scheme and University Renaming

The union also rejected the Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Staff Support Loan Scheme, calling it a distraction from the real issues.

In addition, ASUU condemned the government’s decision to rename the University of Maiduguri as Muhammadu Buhari University, describing it as:

• A violation of university autonomy.
• An affront to academic freedom.
• A disregard for institutional integrity and democratic governance.

For more authoritative updates on Nigerian higher education, policies, and accreditation, visit the National Universities Commission (NUC).

Warning of Possible Strike Action

According to Mshelia, ASUU has consistently chosen dialogue over confrontation—writing letters, attending meetings, and exercising restraint. However, he warned that if the government continues to ignore the union’s demands, industrial action will be inevitable.

“Strikes are never our first choice, but our last resort when all avenues of negotiation are exhausted. Responsibility will rest squarely on the government’s shoulders,” he said.

The UNIMAID ASUU protest highlights the deepening frustration among university lecturers over poor retirement benefits, unpaid arrears, and government neglect. Unless urgent action is taken, Nigeria may once again face a nationwide ASUU strike, further disrupting the academic calendar and weakening the university system.