Piwuna intervenes in Unilag ASUU management’s impasse, urges dialogue

In the face of the standoff between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the University of Lagos, and the management of the institution, Chris Piwuna, president of the union, has intervened, urging for constructive dialogue.

The University of Lagos branch of ASUU had on Tuesday announced the withdrawal of its members’ services effective Wednesday, March 11, as the union declared an indefinite strike over what it described as “amputated” salaries for January and February 2026.

As a result of the new development, the union has opted instead for dialogue with the university management.

Recall, BusinessDay reported that the UNILAG members of ASUU announced it will commence an indefinite strike on Wednesday, March 11, over an alleged deduction and non-payment of lecturers’ salaries, known as “amputated salaries.”

The union made this known after an emergency congress on Tuesday, March 10, at the Akoka campus of the institution, where the lecturers resolved to withdraw their services until their demands are met.

According to a statement from the UNILAG-ASUU sighted by BusinessDay, “After extensive and exhaustive deliberations on the one-item agenda, congress observes the following: the university discriminately paid amputated salaries in January 2026 to all members, in Akoka campus no Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) paid, and in Idi Araba campus, no EAA and CATA paid.

“The university also unilaterally and wickedly paid amputated salaries in February 2026 to all our members. The recent action of the university administration violates all the tenets of decency and clearly portrays the university administration as wicked, unfeeling, and satanic,” the statement reads.
In view of the foregoing, and in line with the subsisting pre-NDC, NEC resolutions of Thursday, May 8, 2025, the congress unanimously resolved as follows: to reject in entirety the recent action that resulted in all ASUU-UNILAG members getting amputated January and February salaries as against what happened in other federal institutions of cognate status like UNILAG.

The lecturers’ union hence declared that it is withdrawing its services effective Wednesday, March 11, and that it will also ensure the withdrawal of services by its members will be in force until the university pays in full all its members’ January and February 2026 salaries.

In the recent development, the leadership of the UNILAG-ASUU disclosed the national leadership of the union acknowledged its efforts to compel the university to pay the full salaries.

It said the resolutions adopted by the branch congress had been forwarded to the national body of the union.

According to the statement, several efforts are now underway in response to the branch’s demands, with university officials who previously declined to engage with the union now reaching out.

The union said its members were uncomfortable with what it described as another “systemic spate of owed components” in their new salaries, similar to what occurred in January and February 2026.

Besides, the decision to shelve the sword followed the involvement of Wale Olanipekun, the chairman of the university’s governing council.

In the fore of this, there are plans for an emergency meeting between the union leadership and the university administration scheduled for early Thursday, March 12.

Following the directive from the national leadership, the branch has asked its members to resume their normal duties while discussions continue.

“Members are enjoined to respectfully defer to our union’s national leadership and continue with their normal activities while this matter is being resolved,” the statement said.