The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 21-day strike notice to the Federal Government, signaling its intention to embark on a nationwide strike if lingering issues remain unresolved.
This development was confirmed by sources within ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) after a meeting held at the University of Ibadan.
The strike notice, though not an ultimatum, is a formal requirement under labor laws, ensuring that the union’s actions remain within legal bounds. A copy of the notice is expected to be sent to the Federal Ministries of Labor and Education.
“It is not an ultimatum but a strike notice. We are giving them 21 days’ notice, after which we shall embark on a strike. Our aim for putting out the notice is that it is a requirement under labor laws, so we are trying to ensure that all our actions are done according to the law,” a source within NEC disclosed.
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This move comes after ASUU’s repeated warnings over the non-implementation of agreements reached with the federal government. On June 26, 2023, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, invited ASUU to a meeting aimed at addressing the persistent issues affecting Nigerian universities and preventing the union’s planned strike.
Despite the discussions, ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke stated that the government had failed to implement the agreements. “At the meeting called by the Minister of Education, we agreed that after two weeks, we would meet to see the progress the government has made. We will also see what we will do next if the government fails to implement the agreements reached,” he said.
Among ASUU’s key demands is the implementation of the 2009 re-negotiated agreements, which have been outstanding for over six years. Additionally, the union has raised concerns about the non-payment of accumulated academic allowances, which have also been pending for six years.
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The revitalization fund, based on the Needs Assessment Report, called for an annual allocation of ₦200 billion over five years to upgrade Nigerian universities. However, since 2013, only one installment has been paid.
Osodeke also criticized the government’s continued approval of new universities without providing adequate funding to run them, contributing to the ongoing challenges within the higher education sector.
As the 21-day notice period begins, the Federal Government faces mounting pressure to address ASUU’s demands and avert yet another disruption to the country’s university system.