Benue State University Has Commenced An Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid Promotion Arrears

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benue State University (BSU) branch, has commenced an indefinite and comprehensive strike action over unresolved welfare and governance issues affecting staff members.

The decision was announced on Monday in a statement jointly signed by the union's Chairperson, Dr. Ali Sule Ako, and Secretary, Prof. Daniel N. Chile, and made available to journalists in Makurdi.

According to the union, the strike followed years of engagements with the university administration, Governing Council, and the Benue State Government aimed at addressing critical concerns affecting academic staff and the institution.

ASUU-BSU stated that despite sustained dialogue, efforts to secure meaningful and lasting solutions had yielded little progress, forcing the union to take industrial action.

Among the key issues cited by the union are the non-payment of promotion arrears, outstanding pension and gratuity benefits for retired staff, irregular pension remittances, the absence of an effective health insurance scheme, unpaid 25 and 35 per cent wage award arrears, incomplete implementation of the Consequential Adjustment to Academic Salaries agreement, unresolved taxation concerns, and the rejection of the Senate-nominated Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

The union expressed disappointment over what it described as the failure of the state government and university authorities to enter into a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) or Memorandum of Action (MoA) outlining clear commitments and timelines for resolving the outstanding issues.

“Despite all efforts, the Benue State Government, the University Administration and relevant authorities failed to engage the Union through a formal Memorandum of Understanding or Memorandum of Action containing clear commitments and implementation timelines,” the statement said.

ASUU further noted that the university administration had resorted to isolated and uncoordinated payments without a negotiated framework, a move the union said did not adequately address the underlying challenges.

The union maintained that the strike would remain in force until substantial progress is made and binding agreements are reached on the issues in dispute.

The industrial action is expected to disrupt academic activities at Benue State University, leaving students uncertain about the continuation of lectures and other academic engagements.