The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Niger Delta University (NDU), a university owned by the Bayelsa State Government, has announced an indefinite strike due to the government’s alleged failure to honour agreements made with the union.
The industrial action was officially declared on Tuesday following a meeting at the union’s secretariat in Amassoma. The strike stems from unresolved issues between the university and the state government, including concerns over salary payments and other long-standing commitments. Additional details regarding the union’s grievances and the potential impact on academic activities at NDU are expected to be revealed in the coming days.
In a related development, the Lagos State University (LASU) chapter of ASUU has called on students to disregard official statements from both the university management and the Students’ Union, which have claimed that normal academic activities are continuing despite ongoing industrial actions. These statements were issued in the face of a strike led by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Related Institutions (NASU), which has been disrupting operations at the institution.
The ASUU-LASU chapter formally declared its own indefinite strike on December 6, 2024, to protest the failure of the Lagos State Government to implement a long-promised salary increase of between 25% and 35% for academic staff. This salary increment was originally approved in January 2023 but has yet to be implemented for LASU staff, even though it has been enacted at federal universities and 18 other state universities. According to a statement from ASUU-LASU Chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Bakare, and Secretary, Sylvester Idowu, the union’s protest is aimed at addressing these unresolved salary adjustments.
ASUU also expressed frustration over an ongoing salary disparity between staff at LASU and their counterparts at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUST) and Lagos State University of Education (LASUED). This pay gap has persisted even after these institutions were upgraded to university status, further fueling discontent within the union. The ASUU-LASU chapter’s strike emphasizes the need for equitable treatment for all academic staff within the Lagos State University system.
The strike actions at both NDU and LASU highlight the broader issues of salary disparity, unfulfilled agreements, and the deteriorating relationship between state governments and university unions across the country. The impact of these strikes is expected to further disrupt academic schedules and intensify the ongoing debate about the state of university education in Nigeria.
