The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared a two-week warning strike beginning October 13, citing the federal government’s failure to meet its long-standing demands.
The strike is expected to affect all public universities nationwide, raising concerns over further disruptions to the academic calendar.
ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, made the announcement on Sunday during a press briefing at the union’s national headquarters, University of Abuja.
He said the decision followed the government’s repeated delays in fulfilling promises made to the union.
Piwuna explained that despite assurances from the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, urging ASUU to suspend its planned strike and promising that negotiations were nearing completion, no concrete action was taken.
“The problem with this government is that they are slow in responding to our demands,” Piwuna said. “When we were about to embark on strike action, we met in Sokoto and they asked for three weeks, which we granted. During those three weeks, we never heard a word from them until the time elapsed.”
The union’s main demands include increased funding for universities, payment of withheld salaries, and the implementation of previous agreements.
The announcement comes as yet another blow to students, parents, and staff, who have faced repeated disruptions in recent years due to industrial disputes.
With the warning strike set to commence tomorrow, the pressure is now on the federal government to act promptly.
Unless the government meets ASUU’s key demands, Nigerian public universities may face yet another round of academic disruption, leaving students anxious about their education timelines.