ASUU-SAZU Gives Bauchi Govt Fresh Warning Over Unpaid Pension Arrears

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sa’adu Zungur University (SAZU) branch, has called on Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, to direct the Head of Civil Service and other relevant agencies to immediately resolve the backlog of pension arrears owed to members of the university to avert a breakdown of industrial harmony.

The union warned that it could no longer guarantee industrial peace while its members continued to suffer what it described as brazen injustice over their outstanding pension entitlements.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its Chairperson, Comrade Awwal Hussain Nuhu, and Secretary, Comrade Saleh Bagudu Rimi, ASUU-SAZU said the Head of Civil Service and other agencies responsible for addressing the matter would be held accountable should industrial disharmony arise from their continued inaction.

“ASUU-SAZU cannot and will not continue to guarantee industrial harmony while our members are subjected to this brazen injustice.

“While we remain a union of intellectuals committed to dialogue, we will not hesitate to invoke all legitimate means available to us under our union tradition to defend the hard-earned entitlements of our members,” the statement said.

The union recalled that it embarked on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike on November 29, 2024, to press home its demands before Governor Bala Mohammed, who is the Visitor to the university, intervened.

The intervention culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Bauchi State government and the union.

According to ASUU-SAZU, the governor, in keeping with the agreement, committed to improving the funding of the university, a pledge the union acknowledged had resulted in significant improvements in government cash flow to the institution.

“The union sincerely commends His Excellency for honouring this commitment. Since then, the university has witnessed unprecedented improvement in cash flow from government, which facilitated the implementation of some components of the MoU within the stipulated timeframe. The implementation timeline lapsed on December 9, 2025,” it said.

The union, however, expressed concern that despite the governor’s intervention, the issue of accrued pension arrears remained unresolved.

It said the governor had specifically mandated the Head of Civil Service, the Commissioner for Higher Education and the university’s Governing Council to address the outstanding pension liabilities.

“It is regrettable that these agencies have not treated this important assignment with any iota of seriousness. All our correspondences drawing attention to the pension backlog have fallen on deaf ears and have never been responded to,” the statement added.

ASUU-SAZU described the outstanding pension arrears as entitlements accumulated over more than a decade of service, noting that some affected members had retired in hardship, while others died without receiving their benefits.

It added that some had left the university in frustration, while many others remained in service despite difficult working conditions.

The union stressed that payment of the accrued pension arrears remained a key and non-negotiable component of the MoU, but regretted that the matter had not received the necessary attention from the university management and government agencies responsible for its resolution.

It also expressed concern over what it described as the disregard and lack of seriousness with which some government agencies handled issues affecting Sa’adu Zungur University, the only state-owned university in Bauchi State.

“Their nonchalance towards the plight of academics is a direct assault on the Bauchi State Project, especially given the highest level of commitment demonstrated by the Visitor,” the statement said.

The union further warned that the continued silence and alleged disregard for the governor’s directive had raised serious questions among its members about the commitment of the concerned agencies to the university and the development of Bauchi State.

It said the situation had generated anger, frustration and a loss of confidence among its members, warning that the responsible agencies would be held fully accountable if their continued inaction resulted in industrial disharmony.