Academic activities at Abia State University (ABSU) are facing disruption following the decision of the University’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), to commence an indefinite strike over welfare related issues.
ASUU-ABSU in a release jointly endorsed by the Chairman, Dr. Chidi S. Mba, and Secretary, Dr. Victor U. Obisike, named the reasons for the industrial action which took effect Tuesday (11/8/26) to include: unpaid salaries, allowances, promotion benefits and other unresolved welfare demands.
The announcement which followed a congress of the union held at the university’s Pre-Science Block in Uturu, lamented over the failure of the university authorities and Abia State Government to implement agreements reached with the union.
The Union made it clear that the ASUU National Executive Council (NEC), directed academic staff to withdraw their services after several attempts at resolving the disputes through dialogue yielded no meaningful results.
According to ASUU-ABSU, the union had engaged the university’s Governing Council, Pro-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and state government representatives through letters, meetings and consultations, on the matters but regretted that the outstanding issues remained unresolved.
The body further explained that the branch congress had, on July 8, given the university management and state government until July 22 to address the issues, warning that failure to meet the deadline would result in industrial action.
Seven Major demands of the union prompting the strike action are: Payment of omitted salaries owed affected members; Proper placement of staff on their appropriate salary levels following promotions and immediate payment of the associated financial benefits and Payment of 11 months’ outstanding check-off dues deducted from members.
Also contained in the demands include: Implementation of the 2025 CATA salary structure for academic staff; implementation, payment and mainstreaming of the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA);
Payment of Professorial Allowance and remittance of about ₦165 million deducted from staff salaries to the ASUU Cooperative Society.
The union noted that the current executive, which assumed office in 2023, had prioritised dialogue and constructive engagement with the authorities in an effort to prevent disruption of academic activities.
While raising concern on the salary structure for academic staff, the body alleged that ABSU remained the only University in the ASUU Calabar Zone still paying lecturers under the 2009 salary structure, despite deductions from their salaries being made in line with the 2024 tax regime.
ASUU-ABSU also made publicthe 2025 salary agreement had been transmitted to state governments by the National Universities Commission (NUC), while ASUU branches had also forwarded the agreement through their respective vice-chancellors.
According to the Union, lecturers promoted to the rank of Professor are allegedly still receiving salaries applicable to Senior Lecturers, while promoted Senior Lecturers continued to receive salaries attached to lower ranks.
The ASUU chairman described the situation as demoralising, saying members were being denied the financial benefits attached to promotions they had earned.
It, however, explained that despite repeated promises by government and the University authorities, the assurances had not translated into concrete action, adding that members had reached the limit of their patience.
The union, therefore, appealed to the university authorities and the Abia State Government to urgently intervene to prevent disruption of the academic calendar.
