The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, has given the Federal Government until August 28 to meet its demands or face industrial action.
Branch chairman, Prof. Louis Omenyi, issued the warning on Tuesday during a news conference at the university.
Omenyi said lecturers nationwide were restless over what he described as government’s repeated failure to honour past agreements.
“We state unequivocally that without urgent government intervention in these irreducible minimum demands of our union, industrial harmony can no longer be guaranteed,” he said.
The union wants government to sign and implement the renegotiated 2009 Agreement, release three months’ withheld salaries, pay third-party deductions under IPPIS, settle promotion arrears, mainstream Earned Academic Allowances in salaries and protect university autonomy and academic freedom
ASUU is also rejecting the move to compel it to guarantee members for the Students’ Loan Scheme under the Tertiary Institutions Students Support Fund.
The union called for an end to what it described as the harassment of members at Prince Abubakar Audu University, Ayangba, Lagos State University and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Omenyi said the union had exhausted dialogue.
“We have been very patient and consistent in our engagements with government, but it appears that our genuine sacrifices are being taken for granted; enough is enough,” he said.
He urged Nigerians, traditional rulers, civil society groups and opinion leaders to intervene and prevent another nationwide strike.
ASUU and the Federal Government have a long record of clashes over funding and welfare.
In 2020, lecturers embarked on a nine-month strike. In 2022, they stayed away for eight months before government dragged the matter to court.
