Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has dismissed the threat of industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja chapter, over the alleged reallocation of portions of the institution’s land.
Gatekeepers News reports that Wike maintained that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has the authority to manage land matters within the territory, insisting that the government would not reverse its decisions in response to threats of industrial action.
The dispute followed allegations that portions of the university’s land had been allocated to private developers and government agencies, a move that has attracted strong opposition from the institution’s academic staff union.
ASUU, through its University of Abuja chapter chairman, Professor Sylvanus Ugoh, had warned that the union could no longer guarantee industrial harmony if the disputed allocations were not reversed.
The union maintained that the university was originally allocated approximately 11,824 hectares of land for academic expansion, research and other developmental activities.
It also alleged that the land allocations made on September 26 violated an existing court order restraining encroachment on the university’s property.
However, Wike insisted that the FCTA was prepared to defend its decisions through appropriate legal channels, maintaining that the administration would continue implementing its land recovery and allocation policies.
The disagreement has raised concerns over the protection of public university land, compliance with court orders and the possibility of disruptions to academic activities at the University of Abuja.
With both parties maintaining their positions, attention has shifted to the legal and administrative processes expected to determine the ownership and future use of the disputed portions of land.
