The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared a nationwide two-week warning strike, starting from midnight, to protest the Federal Government’s alleged failure to meet the union’s long-standing demands.
ASUU President, Dr. Chris Piwuna, made the announcement during a press conference held at the union’s national secretariat in the University of Abuja on Friday. He said the warning strike is meant to give the government a final opportunity to conclude negotiations and implement agreements already reached with the union.
According to Dr. Piwuna, the decision to embark on the warning strike was taken after exhausting all other options. He accused the government of insincerity and delay in fulfilling its promises to university lecturers.
“Our members nationwide are hereby directed to withdraw their services from all academic activities, effective from midnight today. This is a warning strike, and we hope the government will use this window to do the needful,” Piwuna stated.
The ASUU president explained that the union had shown great patience over the years, but the government’s lack of commitment has forced them to act. He noted that several memoranda and agreements, including improved funding of universities, payment of earned academic allowances, and adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), remain unfulfilled.
The last major ASUU strike lasted eight months in 2022, crippling academic activities across public universities. The union had suspended that strike after the government made some commitments, which ASUU now claims have not been fully implemented.
Students and parents across the country are already expressing concern over the latest development, fearing it could lead to another prolonged disruption of academic calendars in public universities.
ASUU is calling on the Federal Government to act swiftly to avoid a full-blown industrial action after the warning strike ends.
Education analysts say continued breakdown in government-university relations could have serious long-term effects on the country’s higher education system and the future of Nigerian youths.
The Federal Government is yet to respond officially to ASUU’s announcement as of the time of filing this report.
