Nigeria University Threatens to Embark on Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU,Akwa Ibom State University, AKSU branch has threatened to reembark on strike due to the government’s failure to honour its previous agreement on the payment of member’s November salary and other arrears. The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Nse Essien had issued a memo, with reference number AKSU/Reg/S/vol.111/694. through the registrar, Mrs. Ebi Eno-Ibanga. The VC assured staff members that the November 2021 salary would be disbursed to them two days to Christmas, but without the backlog of arrears as expected. He added that it is not a negation of the state government’s agreement with the unions. The ASSU-AKSU chairperson, Inyang Udosen, and Secretary, Joseph Mark issued a statement where they stated that the VC’s memo was a clear violation of the agreement they had with the state government and the university management, which was witnessed by the Akwa-Ibom state House of Assembly in June 2021. They asserted that they will be left with no option but to immediately revisit the suspended strike as soon as the university management activates the proposed payment plan” AKSU recalled that the state government had agreed with the Union before the suspension of the strike in June that it would pay 25% of the last tranche the remaining two months, March and April, along with 100% of November and December 2021 salary. The statement reads in part “ASUU- AKSU categorically wishes to state that the content of the above-quoted memo, if implemented, will constitute a clear violation of the agreement freely and willingly entered into by the government of Akwa Ibom state, the Akwa Ibom State University Management and. JAC of all unions in the University and witnessed by the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly on the 8th of June,2021.ASUU-AKSU, therefore, reject in its entirety the proposed payment plan for November 2021 as stated in the memo and thus categorically state that AKSU- AKSU shall be left with no option but to immediately revisit the suspended strike in the event that the University Management goes ahead with the proposed payment plan”. Our correspondent spoke with aggrieved members of staff on the condition of anonymity. They complained over the nonchalance of the university management towards staff welfare and asserted that they were willing to back their union except the impasse is resolved within the next 48hours.