The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has declared that it will commence an indefinite industrial action once its ongoing two-week warning strike expires on October 13.
The planned strike, according to the union, follows the expiration of an ultimatum issued last week, urging the Federal Government to address unresolved issues, including the signing and implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement.
ASUU President, Comrade Chris Piwuna, made this known on Monday while speaking with journalists during the Orientation and Leadership Training for Academic Staff Union members at the Niger Delta University (NDU) Branch, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State.
Piwuna insisted that the union had taken a firm position on the warning strike and would not revisit it unless the government meets its demands.
“The warning strike has been issued, and we are not meeting to discuss that again as a union 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 action,” he said.
The ASUU President emphasized that the issues remain unresolved, particularly the lingering renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, which, according to him, has dragged on for years despite numerous engagements with the government.
“The issues still remain the same. The renegotiation of our 2009 documents has lingered over the years. Nigerians must know that the strike action is coming after several years of dialogue and patience; we are not just jumping into a strike,” he explained.
Piwuna criticized the government for failing to act within the timeline it set for itself.
“We have given the government enough time on this issue. They asked for three weeks to get back to us and never did. Nigerians must look at the actions of the government that always push us into strikes,” he stated.
On the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Piwuna reiterated ASUU’s opposition to the student loan scheme, describing it as ill-conceived in a struggling economy.
“We have told the government that we do not support a loan policy in such a depressed economy—an economy where unemployment is high and families can barely feed. How do they expect students to repay the loans?” he asked.
“If the government truly wants to help students, they should come out clean. Where are the jobs that will enable repayment? If the funds are meant to improve universities, they should be given as grants, not loans,” he added.
Piwuna also raised concerns about alleged financial mismanagement within NELFUND, saying recent reports vindicate ASUU’s stance.
“Some of the reports coming from NELFUND make us believe we were right. How can an organization less than a year old, with fewer than 100 staff, spend ₦14 billion on personnel? Even this university, with over 1,000 staff, doesn’t spend that amount in a year, including infrastructure,” he said.
