By Blessing Fali
The Kaduna State Government has approved the immediate payment of N300 million as Earned Academic Allowance to academic staff of Kaduna State University, KASU, as part of efforts to address outstanding welfare concerns and avert a strike.
The government also constituted a nine member committee to negotiate with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and other staff unions over their outstanding demands.
The intervention followed a two week ultimatum issued by KASU ASUU over concerns about staff welfare, working conditions and the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government ASUU agreement.
The Kaduna State Government said the N300 million payment was part of efforts to clear accumulated entitlements and allowances dating back to 2016. It also disclosed that a N50 million monthly standing order had been approved to gradually settle outstanding arrears and staff related claims.
The negotiation committee, chaired by the Commissioner for Education, Professor Abubakar Sani Sambo, has been given four weeks to review the unions’ demands and submit its recommendations to the government.
The committee will examine issues including the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance, staff welfare, conditions of service and the financial implications of implementing relevant provisions of the 2025 ASUU Federal Government agreement.
The state government urged the unions to embrace dialogue and collective bargaining rather than industrial action, warning that a strike could disrupt the academic calendar and negatively affect students.
Meanwhile, KASU ASUU has expressed readiness to return to the negotiating table, saying it prefers dialogue and wants lasting solutions to the challenges facing the university.
The union had earlier maintained that it did not want to shut down the university and was prepared to engage the government at any time in the interest of peace and stability.
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