Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to meet its demands within 14 days.
According to the union, the two-week ultimatum will expire on October 13.
The planned action follows the ultimatum issued last week, urging the government to address lingering issues, including the signing and implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, gave the warning during an orientation and leadership training themed “Understanding the Principles of the Union” at the ASUU branch of Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State.
Piwuna maintained that the union’s decision on the planned warning strike remained firm unless the government acted promptly to resolve the outstanding issues.
“The warning strike has been issued, and we are not meeting to discuss that again because our position has been taken. By midnight of Monday, we will embark on a two-week warning strike, after which we will meet to decide when to begin an indefinite and comprehensive strike,” he said.
He lamented that despite several rounds of negotiations, the government had failed to implement agreements reached with the union.
“The issues remain the same. The re-negotiation of our 2009 agreement has lingered for years. We have given the government enough time on this issue. They promised to get back to us within three weeks but never did. Nigerians should understand that government inaction continues to push us into strikes,” he added.
On the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Piwuna reiterated ASUU’s opposition to student loans, describing them as unrealistic in the current economic climate.
“We have told the government that we do not support loans in such a depressed economy. Where will unemployed graduates get money to repay? If they truly want to support education, they should provide grants, not loans,” he said.
He further criticized reports that NELFUND, barely a year old, had spent ₦14 billion on personnel costs despite having fewer than 100 staff members.
“Even this university, with over 1,000 staff, does not spend that much annually, including on infrastructure,” he stated.
ASUU has repeatedly accused the Federal Government of insincerity in addressing issues affecting university education, warning that continued neglect could lead to another prolonged disruption of academic activities across public universities.
