The Academic Staff Union of Universities at the University of Abuja has ended its 82-day strike, effective immediately.
The chairperson of the ASUU UniAbuja chapter, Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, announced the decision on Monday during a press briefing in Abuja.
He said the strike was suspended after discussions with the university’s new Governing Council, which has promised to address the union’s concerns.
Ugoh explained that the strike, which began on May 2, 2024, was due to several issues. These included the violation of laws regarding staff appointments and promotions, the illegal advertisement for the Vice-Chancellor position, and improper recruitments.
He said, “The strike was suspended after the new Governing Council agreed to address our demands. The council has promised to cancel the old advert for the Vice-Chancellor position and republish a new one following due process.”
Ugoh continued, “The council also agreed to review the recruitment process and the 2022/2023 promotion exercise, which we had complained about.”
He added, “We had been engaging with the former Vice-Chancellor, but he did not comply with the rules. After we could not resolve the issues, we went on strike. However, since the new council took over, we have seen progress.”
The union’s demands also included conducting elections for the positions of Deans of Faculties and the Provost of the College of Health Sciences.
Additionally, the acting Vice-Chancellor has communicated with the union about taking a position on the board of the university’s microfinance bank.
Ugoh concluded, “In honor of the new council and the acting Vice-Chancellor, and after reviewing their responses, the union has decided to suspend the strike. This will give the university administration time to address these issues.”
