The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chapter of the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) has resumed its indefinite strike over two months’ unpaid salaries and the alleged failure of the state government to implement agreements reached with the union.
Latest: Strike update today: ASUU, SSANU, NLC and other strikes in Nigeria (live tracker)
Key Highlights
- ASUU UNICROSS has resumed its indefinite strike after an emergency congress on Monday in Calabar.
- Lecturers say they are owed September and October salaries.
- A 90-day window reportedly granted by Governor Bassey Otu in July expired on October 21.
- Chapter Chairman Patrick Ushie says the union has received no written confirmation of payment approval.
- Lecturers say they will resume as soon as the outstanding salaries are paid.
The decision follows the expiration of a 90-day period reportedly granted by Governor Bassey Otu in July to resolve the dispute after meeting with the union’s leadership and the university management.
At an emergency congress held on Monday at the university’s Prefab Hall, Calabar main campus, the union resolved to resume the industrial action, which it said would continue until the government fulfilled its outstanding commitments.
The 90-day window reportedly expired on October 21 without the government fully addressing the union’s demands.
‘They Have Failed In The Agreement’
Confirming the strike’s resumption in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday in Calabar, ASUU chapter Chairman, Patrick Ushie, expressed disappointment over what he described as the government’s failure to honour its promises.
Ushie said the union had suspended its previous strike following the government’s intervention, but decided to resume the action after the agreed terms were not fulfilled.
“The strike action was suspended that time because of the government intervention, but they have failed in the agreement, so we just resumed back. This particular one, it’s still indefinite,” he said.
The chairman disclosed that members were owed two months’ salaries, identifying the non-payment of their September and October entitlements as a major reason for the renewed action.
“Why are they not giving us the salary? It’s not as if it’s a gift, it’s a salary that we have worked for. As I speak with you now, they are owing us two months,” Ushie said.
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Union Dismisses Payment Approval Reports
He also dismissed reports that the state government had approved the payment of some outstanding entitlements, saying the union had received no official communication confirming that the funds had been released.
“We are hearing rumours, even though it’s not written on paper that the governor has given approval. But he gave approval three months ago, and obviously I have not been paid also, meaning that he didn’t follow up the approval,” he added.
Ushie directed lecturers to withdraw their services, including teaching and supervision, until the government addressed their grievances.
“No teaching, no supervision, no anything that affects our teaching staff,” he said.
Despite the indefinite nature of the strike, the union chairman said lecturers were prepared to return to work as soon as the government paid the outstanding salaries and fulfilled the agreements reached with the union.
“That’s all. If they need to pay us tonight, tomorrow morning we’ll resume,” he added.
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