ASUU-IMSU Outlines Conditions for Ending 77-Day Strike at Imo State University

The Imo State University (IMSU) branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a formal call to the Imo State Government, the university’s Visitor, and the Governing Council to intervene in an ongoing industrial action that has now surpassed 77 days. According to the union, the strike, which commenced on August 10, 2026, remains in effect due to unresolved welfare and administrative grievances.

The Core Demands for Resumption

ASUU-IMSU Chairman, Stephen Oguji, outlined a series of conditions necessary for the union to consider suspending the strike. Central to these demands is the full implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, which was signed in December 2025 and became effective at the start of 2026. Specific requirements include:

• Payment of September and October 2026 salaries at the new agreed-upon rates.
• A time-bound schedule for the payment of salary arrears accumulated between January and August 2026.
• The release of all previously withheld salaries.
• Written commitments with clear timelines regarding pension obligations, earned academic allowances, and postgraduate allowances.
• A formal guarantee ensuring that no union members will face victimization for their participation in the strike.

Additionally, the union has demanded the constitution of a committee to oversee the election of heads of departments and the cancellation of examinations and postgraduate defenses that were conducted while the strike was active.

Disputes Over Academic Integrity

A significant point of contention involves the university management’s decision to proceed with second-semester examinations for the 2025/2026 academic session. ASUU-IMSU has rejected the validity of these examinations, alleging that the university utilized non-academic and casual staff to conduct them. The union maintains that such actions do not constitute a return to normal academic activities and undermine the institution’s academic standards.

Furthermore, the union refuted claims allegedly made by the university management to the state government that the union was not currently on strike. Oguji stated that the union has made multiple attempts to resolve the crisis through dialogue, including seven letters to the university administration and three to the governing council, yet these efforts have failed to yield a satisfactory resolution.

Previous Negotiations and Future Outlook

The union leadership noted that previous engagements with a subcommittee of the governing council on October 20 and 22 did not result in a concrete agreement. According to the source, the university management requested that the union suspend the strike as a prerequisite for further dialogue. However, the union has declined this request, citing past experiences in 2024 where similar assurances failed to produce measurable results.

ASUU-IMSU expressed concern over the disparity in salary payments, alleging that while non-academic staff have received their September salaries, academic staff remain unpaid. The union emphasized that while it is cognizant of the challenges the prolonged closure poses to students and parents, it remains committed to the strike until verifiable, written commitments are secured from the relevant authorities.

As of the time of reporting, the Imo State Government and university management have not provided a public resolution to the union’s specific demands.

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p class=”vbna-source-note”>Source: Channels Television

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