ASUU SET FOR Mother of All Strikes, Says UNICAL Branch
Judex OKORO and Missang AKPET
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Calabar branch has stated that the Union is set for what it described as "mother of all strikes" if the federal government fails to implement the 1992 agreement.
Speaking at a press briefing at its secreteriat on Tuesday, the chairperson of ASUU-UCB, Dr. Peter Ubi, said since the federal government has been dilly-dallying and playing with time over ASUU demands it has, therefore, becomes imperative to shut down the universities everybody to go home.
Ubi cited several unmet demands, including the re-negotiation of the 2009 ASUU-Federal Government of Nigeria Agreement, sustainable funding of universities, revitalization of universities, and payment of outstanding wage awards and salary arrears.
The academic union expressed concerns over the victimisation of some of its members and the non-remittance of third-party deductions.
The union however accused the government of using delay tactics to avoid addressing the issues noting that despite submitting the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed Report in February 2025, nothing has been done to resolve the matters.
"Time is running out, we urge the government to return to the Collective Bargain Principle in addressing the issues in our draft agreement" ASUU warned.
The union rejected the government's proposal to offer loans to staff, describing it as a ploy to further burden members with debt.
They explained that trust has already been destroyed by the federal government citing the loan scheme as an attack on their salaries.
"Trust has been destroyed by the government, it is, therefore up to them to regain it to avert any strike.
"Our members are already neck-deep in loans. All we need is for the government to sign our renegotiated agreement, which will improve our purchasing power and decrease our reliance on loans from cooperative societies.
"This government still owes our members 3% months of salaries for work done. The government should use the money set aside for the loans to defray our withheld salaries. Members are advised to stay away from the loan and focus on our legitimate entitlements because it is a bait, and will incapacitate university- based cooperative societies" they said.
The Union, while commending the government for placing a moratorium on the establishment of new universities expressed concerns over the proliferation of universities without clear-cut development plans while also calling for the establishment of a university-based Pension Fund Administration (PFA) to guarantee the welfare of retirees which will enable them earn a monthly salary of N150,000.
The Academic Union gave the government until August 28, 2025, to address the issues, warning that it will take decisive action if its demands are not met.
