The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) branch at Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) has officially embarked on an indefinite strike, stemming from unresolved disputes surrounding unpaid remuneration, allowances, and the state government’s delay in implementing the newly established ₦80,000 minimum wage structure.
Speaking to journalists at the Obio Akpa Campus on Tuesday, Dr. Frank Namso, who chairs the ASUU-AKSU branch, confirmed the union’s decision to down tools. He explained that the strike became inevitable after numerous attempts to engage both the university’s administration and the Akwa Ibom State Government on these longstanding matters failed to yield any tangible outcomes.
Dr. Namso stated that the decision to halt academic activities was not taken lightly, emphasizing that the union had exhausted all possible dialogue and intervention channels before resorting to this industrial action. He noted that the strike action, which officially commenced at midnight on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, would continue indefinitely until every outstanding demand had been met by the concerned authorities.
Quoting him, “This action aligns with the resolution passed at the recent ASUU National Delegates Conference, which authorizes any branch to embark on industrial action if salaries are unpaid by the third day of a new month.”
He pointed out that the union had endured years of neglect regarding crucial entitlements such as the allowances designated for domestic staff and drivers. According to Dr. Namso, academic staff have been excluded from receiving these allowances for over a decade, while their non-teaching counterparts continue to enjoy the same benefits, a situation he described as not only unfair but also demoralizing.
He further revealed that the university’s failure to honor the implementation of the ₦80,000 minimum wage, along with the arrears that should accompany it, formed a central aspect of the union’s frustration. Other pressing concerns that have fueled the strike include the disbursement of a meager ₦2,000 as hazard allowance, which the union considers fraudulent and an insult to the academic community, especially given the hazardous nature of their work environment.
Dr. Namso also drew attention to the institution’s failure to effect the 35% and 25% wage awards, adding that national promotion exercises and corresponding payments had been subjected to unnecessary delays, further compounding the financial and professional hardship of academic staff. He lamented that academic employees had not received payment for postgraduate lectures or for supervising graduate research, an omission he said undermines the academic process and the value of scholarly engagement at the postgraduate level.
Describing the current situation as deeply troubling, Dr. Namso said the union had exercised remarkable patience for years. However, the consistent pattern of neglect and the absence of constructive responses from both the university’s leadership and the state government left the union with no option but to initiate an indefinite strike. He warned that no academic services would resume until the university fulfills its financial and contractual obligations to its academic staff.
He also reiterated the broader context of ASUU’s position, noting that the National Delegates Conference had given all branches the authority to initiate strike actions whenever salaries remained unpaid beyond the third day of any given month. He said the AKSU chapter was merely acting in accordance with this directive, particularly since the grievances raised had persisted unresolved for years.
Dr. Namso called on relevant stakeholders, including the state government, university management, and even the general public, to recognize the urgency of the matter. He appealed for immediate intervention to prevent further deterioration of the academic calendar, which has already been severely disrupted in previous years by similar impasses.
He concluded by urging that a comprehensive review of the current compensation structure and allowance disbursement be undertaken without further delay. He argued that the continued exclusion of academic staff from entitlements that their non-teaching colleagues routinely enjoy was unjustifiable and contrary to the principles of fairness and parity that the university system should uphold.
What you should know
The ASUU chapter at Akwa Ibom State University has begun an indefinite strike due to prolonged non-payment of salaries, failure to implement the new ₦80,000 minimum wage, and exclusion from certain allowances.
The union accuses both the institution and the state government of neglect and insists that no academic activities will resume until all grievances are addressed.
