The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared a two-week warning strike, accusing the Federal Government of neglecting agreements and failing to address long-standing issues affecting Nigeria’s public universities.
The union’s National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the decision at a press conference held at the University of Abuja on Sunday. He said the industrial action would commence at midnight today, with all members directed to withdraw their services nationwide.
According to Piwuna, the strike became necessary after the government allegedly ignored several reminders and failed to act on commitments made in previous negotiations.
“We have been patient for too long. The Federal Government has continued to show insensitivity to the plight of our members and the decay in the university system,” he said. “This two-week warning strike is to draw attention to our unresolved issues, which include unpaid academic allowances, poor funding of universities, and non-implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FG agreement.”
Piwuna added that ASUU had exhausted all avenues for dialogue and urged the government to use the warning period to address the union’s demands to avoid a full-blown strike.
He also criticized what he described as “deliberate neglect” of university autonomy, particularly in the appointment of governing councils and the proliferation of state-owned universities without proper funding.
The ASUU president reiterated the union’s commitment to quality education but stressed that academic staff could no longer work under current conditions.
Meanwhile, reactions have trailed the announcement, with many students and parents expressing concern over another disruption in the academic calendar. University managements across the country are expected to issue internal circulars on the implementation of the strike directive.
The Federal Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour are yet to officially respond to the union’s decision as of press time.
The latest action adds to the long history of industrial disputes between ASUU and the Federal Government, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
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