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Abuja, Nigeria – The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has officially notified the Federal Government of its intention to embark on a nationwide strike, issuing a 21-day notice, as reported by The Bureau Newspaper.
Sources within ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) confirmed the development, following a crucial meeting held at the University of Ibadan. The notice, which is not an ultimatum but a formal strike notice, will be transmitted to the Federal Ministries of Labour and Education.
A source from the NEC stated, “We are giving them 21 days’ notice, after which we shall embark on strike. Our aim for putting out the notice is that it is a requirement under labour laws so we are trying to ensure that all our actions are done according to the law.”
This announcement comes on the heels of ongoing disputes between ASUU and the Federal Government over unmet agreements. The union had previously warned of a strike due to the government’s failure to implement several longstanding agreements, including the 2009 re-negotiated agreements.
ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, highlighted that despite a meeting with the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, on June 26, 2024, the government had not made significant progress in addressing the union’s demands. These include the non-implementation of the 2009 agreements, accumulated academic allowances, and the revitalization fund aimed at upgrading universities.
Prof. Osodeke emphasized that since 2013, only one payment of the agreed N200 billion yearly fund had been made, despite the commitment to provide this amount annually for five years based on the Needs Assessment Report. He also criticized the government for approving new universities without providing the necessary funds to run them effectively, which further exacerbates the challenges facing the nation’s higher education sector.
The impending strike threatens to disrupt academic activities across Nigeria’s public universities if the government fails to address ASUU’s concerns within the stipulated 21-day period.
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