Education
ASUU mobilises for indefinite strike in seven state-owned universities
Published By
Paul Dada
Date
29th June, 2026
Quick Read
He added that failure of the affected state governments to pay the consolidated academic tools allowance (CATA) component and all other allowances stipulated in the agreement and the payment of the accrued arrears from January 2026 in full till date would amount to the violation of the agreements.
By Jethro Ibileke
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benin Zone, has threatened to embark on indefinite strike in state-owned universities in Edo, Delta and Ondo States over failure to implement the 2025 agreement between the feral government and the Union.
The affected universities include Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State.
Others are Delta State University, Abraka, University of Delta, Agbor, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba and South Delta University, Ozoro all in Delta State.
The Coordinator of the Zone, Prof Monday Igbafen, who stated this while addressing a section of Journalists in Benin on Monday, gave the end of July, 2026, date for the commencement of the indefinite strike.
He added that failure of the affected state governments to pay the consolidated academic tools allowance (CATA) component and all other allowances stipulated in the agreement and the payment of the accrued arrears from January 2026 in full till date would amount to the violation of the agreements.
Igbafen who said members of the union have run out of patience, as governors of the affected states have trivialize and disregarded the implementation of the agreements, noted that the federal universities in the zone have since commenced the implementation of the agreement.
“The Benin Zone views with the continued refusal to implement the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; Delta State University, Abraka; University of Delta, Agbor; Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba; and Southern Delta University, Ozoro, with grave concern.
“The patience of our Congresses in these universities has been exhausted. For six months, our members have awaited concrete steps toward the implementation of the Agreement. In return, they have been met only with trivialization and disregard.
“We therefore inform you that our Congresses in the affected State universities have commenced full mobilization for a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike, in response to the persistent failure of the Governments of Edo, Ondo, and Delta States to honour the Agreement.
“We demand, unequivocally, that, the next salary of our members in these universities in the month of July must reflect the CATA component and all other allowances stipulated in the Agreement.
“All accrued arrears from January 2026 must be paid in full, without delay. We state, with all sense of responsibility, that any failure or further prevarication by the three State Governments will inevitably provoke a total, comprehensive, and indefinite industrial action,” he said.
Igbafen while stating that all federal universities and no fewer than ten State universities nationwide have fully implemented the Agreement, including the payment of arrears, not one State university in the Benin Zone has done so.
He opined that the failure of the state governors who are also visitors to the universities is not merely regrettable, but provocative and unjust.
“Our members in these institutions are being shortchanged by the Governors and Visitors of Edo, Ondo, and Delta States, who have failed to provide the financial backing required for implementation,” he added.
The Benin Zone ASUU Coordinator who posited that the union remains committed to industrial peace in the universities, however, stated that peace without justice is a mirage.
He noted that the only path to lasting harmony is the immediate and full implementation of the Agreement.
He, therefore, called on the Governors of Edo, Ondo, and Delta States to act now, before the universities were shut down.
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