Lecturers at the Akwa Ibom State University have started an indefinite strike over unpaid salaries, allowances, and the state government’s failure to implement the new minimum wage of N80,000.
The decision to down tools was announced on Tuesday, June 4, by the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, AKSU branch, Dr. Frank Namso, during a press briefing at the university’s Obio Akpa campus.
Dr. Namso said the union took the decision after several failed attempts to get the attention of both the university management and the Akwa Ibom State Government.
“All efforts made by the union to engage the university authorities and the state government have not yielded any result. So, our members have agreed to begin an indefinite strike from midnight of June 4, 2025,” he said.
He explained that the strike is in line with the resolution of ASUU’s national delegates conference, which allows any branch to begin industrial action if their salaries are not paid by the 3rd of a new month.
Dr. Namso listed several issues behind the strike, including:
Non-payment of N80,000 minimum wage and the arrears
Non-payment of domestic servant and driver’s allowances for 13 years
Poor percentage allocation to peculiar academic allowances
Payment of only N2,000 as hazard allowance
Non-implementation of 35% and 25% wage awards
Delay in promotion payments
Non-payment for postgraduate lectures and supervision
He expressed sadness that while lecturers in AKSU are being denied these allowances, their colleagues in other state-owned institutions like Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, College of Education, and College of Arts and Science, Nung Ukim, have been receiving the same benefits for over a decade.
“This situation is disheartening and shows clear unfairness,” he said. “Our members have been patient for too long, but the suffering has become unbearable. It is time to act.”
The union said the strike would continue until the government and university management fully address all the demands.
