ASUU Rejects Bayelsa Allowance Package, Insists On CBA Implementation

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Niger Delta University (NDU) chapter, has rejected the Bayelsa State Government’s recent approval of a 40 per cent allowance package for public servants, insisting that the measure does not address agreements already reached with university lecturers.

The union accused the state government of misleading the public by presenting its demands as part of the newly approved allowances, stressing that lecturers were only asking for the implementation of agreements contained in the 2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

A statement on Tuesday, signed by the ASUU branch chairman, Comrade Oyinkepreye Lucky Bebeteidoh, and the branch secretary, Comrade Victory C. Owede, said the union was demanding the implementation of the Consolidated Academic and Allied Staff Allowance (CATA) agreement signed on December 23, 2025, which was scheduled to take effect from January 2026.

According to the ASUU chairman, the total computed CATA for academic staff across the state’s three universities stands at N336.9 million monthly, contrary to claims that ASUU was demanding over N2.99 billion every month.

Describing the government’s presentation of the figures as misleading, Bebeteidoh questioned why the government approved “peculiar allowances” for other unions while refusing to implement an agreement it voluntarily signed with ASUU.

“The N2.144 billion put under ASUU demands is misleading and disinformation of the public to give the impression that ASUU is asking for over N2.99 billion every month as CATA. CATA was signed in December 2025 to start implementation in January 2026.

“ASUU is demanding the implementation of the CATA as contained in the agreement. Why is the government giving peculiar allowances to unions that have no such agreement? Why lump our CATA demand together with the peculiar allowances?” he asked.

The ASUU chairman also faulted the government’s explanation that it was waiting for more states to implement the allowance before taking action.

He argued that several states with far lower federal allocations than Bayelsa had already implemented similar agreements.

“ASUU wrote to the government in January 2026 informing it of the implementation timeline. Why did it take seven months before coming out with an official position of inability to pay? The excuse that many universities are yet to implement CATA is laughable.

“More than 10 states that receive far less than Bayelsa from the Federation Account have implemented CATA. They did not wait for Bayelsa to act before fulfilling their obligations,” he said.

The union also renewed its demand for the payment of 19 months’ outstanding arrears arising from the delayed implementation of the 25 and 35 per cent salary wage award.

According to ASUU, although the state government paid six months of the arrears, 19 months remain unpaid, despite significant improvements in the state’s revenue.

Bebeteidoh said Bayelsa received about N95.15 billion in April and May and recorded a closing balance of N37.08 billion, making the government’s claim of inadequate funds difficult to justify.

“Imagine the inflow for April and May, yet the state government is claiming paucity of funds to pay the 19 months arrears totalling N2.7 billion. Benue State, with significantly lower FAAC allocation, implemented the wage award and paid all arrears.”

He further expressed disappointment over what it described as the government’s failure to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on February 5, 2025, which led to the suspension of an industrial action.

He also said one of the unresolved issues was the failure to provide on-campus staff accommodation at the university more than two decades after its establishment.

“More than a year after the signing of the MoU, no action has been taken on the issue of on-campus accommodation. From 4 p.m. every working day until the following morning, the campus is like a ghost town because staff have nowhere to live.”

The ASUU chairman lamented that no permanent staff housing project had been completed in the university’s 26-year history, warning that the absence of residential facilities continues to undermine academic activities and the development of a vibrant university community.

He urged the Bayelsa State Government to honour the agreements it signed with the union, implement the CATA, settle outstanding salary arrears and fulfil other commitments aimed at improving the welfare of university lecturers and the overall development of higher education in the state.