The Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) in Sokoto State has called on the state government to constitute a Governing Council for Shehu Shagari University of Education (SSUE).
The union made the appeal during a joint press conference with ASUU chapters of Sokoto State University (SSU) and SSUE on Wednesday in Sokoto.
Dr. Bello Musa, Chairperson of ASUU-SSU, and Dr. Shamsu Kabiru, Chairperson of ASUU-SSUE, said SSUE has been operating without a Governing Council since its establishment in 2023, a situation they described as a violation of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2003 and the Sokoto State University Law.
They explained that a governing council is crucial for decision-making, including staff recruitment, promotion approval, financial oversight, student admission, and convocation ceremonies.
The union urged the state government to constitute the council without delay and also called for the settlement of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) owed to members over several academic sessions, along with other outstanding staff allowances.
They noted that federal universities began implementing the package in January and insisted Sokoto State should follow suit, citing the Exclusive Legislative List of the 1999 Constitution, which places labor matters under central negotiation.
The union also urged the state government to clear outstanding union and cooperative deductions, as well as check-off dues still held in the State Ministry of Finance.
They highlighted that the Presidential Committee on Salaries had approved salary increments for tertiary institution staff—35 percent for professors and 25 percent for other staff effective January 2023—and called for Sokoto State to implement these alongside the agreed N35,000 wage award.
The union lamented the non-implementation of annual salary increments in both universities since 2020 and appealed to stakeholders and concerned citizens to intervene, urging the state government to honor its commitments in the public interest.
