The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 21-day strike notice to the Federal Government.
The notice announced following a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the University of Ibadan, signifies a potential nationwide strike if the government does not address the union’s demands.
ASUU officials confirmed the development to our correspondent in Abuja on Monday. The strike notice will be formally submitted to the Federal Ministries of Labour and Education.
“This is not an ultimatum but a formal strike notice. We are providing a 21-day period for the government to address our concerns before we proceed with the strike,” a source within the NEC stated. “Issuing this notice is in compliance with labor laws to ensure our actions are legally justified.”
The move comes as ASUU has previously threatened to strike due to the government’s failure to implement agreements made with the union. On June 26, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, convened a meeting with ASUU to discuss the ongoing issues and prevent a strike.
ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke reported that the agreements from the meeting had not yet been fulfilled. “At the minister’s meeting, we agreed to reconvene in two weeks to review the government’s progress. If the agreements remain unmet, we will determine our next steps,” Osodeke said.
Key demands from ASUU include the non-implementation of the 2009 renegotiated agreements, which have been unresolved for over six years, and overdue academic allowances.
Additionally, the union is concerned about the lack of progress on the revitalisation fund, which, according to the Needs Assessment Report, requires N200 billion annually for five years. Since 2013, only one payment has been made.
Osodeke also criticized the government for approving new universities without the necessary funding, exacerbating the issue of under-resourced institutions.
