….ASUU declares indefinite strike, accuses Imo govt, management of ignoring 2025 agreement
Academic activities at Imo State University, Owerri, have been thrown into uncertainty as lecturers under the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, declared a total and indefinite strike over what they described as prolonged neglect of their welfare and failure to implement a 2025 agreement with the Federal Government.
The IMSU chapter of ASUU announced the industrial action on Monday, August 10, 2026, at a press conference in Owerri, saying the decision followed months of unsuccessful engagements with the university management and the Imo State Government.
The branch Chairman, Stephen Oguji, and Secretary, Lazarus Chikwendu, said the union had exhausted available channels of dialogue after repeatedly demanding the implementation of the agreement reached between ASUU and the Federal Government on December 23, 2025.
The agreement, according to the union, was designed to improve the welfare and working conditions of academic staff and was expected to take effect from January 1, 2026.
But while lecturers in some other state-owned universities have reportedly begun benefiting from the agreement, ASUU-IMSU said its members were still waiting.
The union said it had formally presented the agreement to university management on several occasions, held meetings and issued a 21-day ultimatum, but claimed that none of the efforts produced a meaningful response.
ASUU-IMSU expressed concern that the situation had gone beyond the non-implementation of the 2025 agreement, alleging that lecturers were also being owed salaries and promotion arrears.
Among the grievances listed by the union were alleged non-payment of promotion arrears dating back to 2016, unpaid salaries owed to some academic staff for several months, withholding of 21 months’ check-off dues and alleged non-payment of Earned Academic Allowance, EAA, since 2009.
The lecturers also faulted the continued retention of IMSU in the Treasury Single Account, TSA, arguing that the arrangement had undermined the autonomy of the university.
According to the union, similar grievances had previously triggered industrial action in 2024, which was suspended following appeals and assurances that the issues would be addressed.
However, ASUU said the persistence of the problems had left its members frustrated and forced the union to take what it described as a painful but necessary decision.
“ASUU-IMSU has therefore today, 10th August, 2026 embarked on a total and indefinite strike,” the union declared, insisting that it would not return to work until the 2025 agreement was fully implemented.
The development is expected to affect academic activities, lectures and other university processes as students and their parents brace for possible disruption to the academic calendar.
ASUU-IMSU, however, said the strike was not intended to permanently shut the door on dialogue.
The union maintained that it remained committed to negotiation, consultation and constructive engagement as the preferred means of resolving the dispute, but warned that such commitment should not be interpreted as acceptance of what it described as continued denial of the legitimate welfare rights of its members.
The lecturers appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations, parents, student unions and other stakeholders to intervene and prevail on the Visitor to the university and the relevant authorities to urgently address the dispute.
The union warned that continued delay could further worsen industrial tension and deepen the challenges confronting the institution.
ASUU-IMSU said it hoped the authorities would act quickly to resolve the issues and restore normal academic activities at the university.
For students and parents, however, the immediate concern remains the uncertainty over when lectures will resume, as the lecturers’ indefinite action places the university’s academic calendar on hold.
Source:@Dailypost
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