The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared a two-week nationwide warning strike beginning today Monday, after failed negotiations with the Federal Government over long-standing issues affecting public universities.
Its President, Dr. Chris Piwuna, who announced the decision in Abuja yesterday, said the strike followed the Government’s slow response to the union’s demands despite repeated engagements and deadlines. He noted that the Union’s patience had been stretched, accusing the authorities of “failing to act until the last minute”.
Recall that on October 8, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, had appealed to the union to shelve its planned strike, assuring that negotiations with aggrieved Unions in the tertiary education sector were at a final stage.
Piwuna, however, said the plea came too late, insisting that the strike would go on as planned. “The problem with this government is that they are slow in responding to our demands. They asked for three weeks, and we waited, but nothing was done. This strike has become unavoidable”, he stated.
But in a swift reaction, the Federal Government urged ASUU to reconsider the strike, insisting that dialogue remains the best path to resolving outstanding issues. In a joint statement, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, said the government has already made a “comprehensive offer” addressing lecturers’ core concerns on working conditions, welfare, and institutional governance.
They warned that the “No Work-No Pay” rule would be enforced if ASUU proceeds with the strike, stressing that the Tinubu administration remains committed to reforms aimed at strengthening universities and improving staff welfare. “The future of our children must not be held hostage. The Government has shown good faith and is ready to continue engagement to resolve all legitimate concerns”, the statement read.
Despite the appeal, ASUU insists the strike will go ahead unless the government takes immediate and concrete action. The development raises fresh fears of another disruption to Nigeria’s already fragile academic calendar.
