Total shutdown in Nigerian varsity as ASUU declares indefinite strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Lagos State University (LASU) has called on students to disregard statements by the LASU management and the Students’ Union suggesting that academic activities are ongoing despite an ongoing strike by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).

ASUU clarified that its members had also embarked on an indefinite strike starting Friday. The strike is in protest of the non-implementation of the Federal Government-approved salary increment of 25% to 35% for university workers, which has been pending since January 2023.

The union’s statement underscores growing unrest within the academic community as unresolved issues surrounding remuneration and welfare continue to affect Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

In a statement dated December 8, 2024, by the ASUU-LASU Chairman and Secretary, Prof Ibrahim Bakare and Sylvester Idowu, respectively, titled “ASUU-LASU EMBARKS ON A TOTAL AND INDEFINITE STRIKE “ reads, “This is to notify the University Community and the general public that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos State University Branch has commenced a total and indefinite strike action, effective from the 6th December 2024 to protest the non-implementation of the Federal Government-approved salary increment of 25%/35% for our members since January 2023.

“We note with dismay that this agreement has been implemented in all the Federal Universities and eighteen (18) State Universities as at today.

“Please be further informed that another reason for the declaration of the strike action is that, long before their upgrade/transformation into university status, the salaries of the staff of Lagos State University of Science and Technology and the Lagos State University of Education were and are still higher than those of our staff; hence the need for harmonisation of the salary disparity in the three institutions.

“The committee constituted by the government to make recommendations to harmonise the salaries has since submitted its report. However, implementation of the recommendations of the Committee by the Government has remained a hoax.

“We use this medium to appeal to our world-class students to display a high sense of maturity, solidarity, and understanding in this matter. We implore them to keep calm and watch as events unfold. We are aware that the state government and the university management are making frantic efforts to resolve the unfortunate development.

“Our law-abiding students should disregard the press release dated 7th December, 2024, jointly signed by the LASU Students’ Union President and the Public Relations Officer that activities continue in LASU despite the SSANU and NASU Industrial Strike.
“We wish to remind them that students have no stake in the matter or possess any right to meddle into welfare issues involving staff members of the University and the Government, and as such they should not allow themselves to be used in a matter that does not directly concern them.

“The declaration of the strike action by ASUU-LASU is in conformity with the decision of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of all the Staff Unions in the University, and a letter to this effect, jointly signed by all the leaders of the Staff Unions in LASU, has been sent not only to the Vice Chancellor but also to Mr Governor, who is the Visitor to our University.