By Our Correspondent in Abuja
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Imo State University, IMSU, Owerri Branch, has declared a total and indefinite strike over the non-implementation of the 2025 agreement between the union and the Federal Government.
The union announced the industrial action on Monday, August 10, 2026, during a press conference held at the university in Owerri.
The branch Chairman, Stephen Oguji, and Secretary, Lazarus Chikwendu, said the decision followed the failure of the Imo State Government and the university management to implement the agreement signed by ASUU and the Federal Government on December 23, 2025.
According to the union, the agreement was scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026, but nearly eight months later, nothing had changed at IMSU.
The ASUU leaders noted that despite several engagements with the university administration, formal presentation of the agreement, and the issuance of a 21-day ultimatum, there had been no meaningful response.
In an address presented at the briefing, the union stated that while implementation had commenced in some state-owned universities including Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun and Sokoto, IMSU was yet to act.
The union listed other unresolved issues to include the continuous retention of IMSU in the Treasury Single Account, which it described as “a complete erosion of university autonomy”, non-payment of promotion arrears since 2016, and non-payment of salaries of many members for several months.
Other grievances cited were the withholding of 21 months of check-off dues, non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances since 2009, and other welfare concerns.
ASUU-IMSU recalled that it went on strike in 2024 over similar issues, which was suspended following appeals and promises by management that were not fulfilled.
The union declared that it had embarked on a total and indefinite strike and vowed not to return to work until the 2025 ASUU-FGN Agreement is fully implemented in IMSU. It called on well-meaning citizens, traditional and religious institutions, civil society, parents and student unions to prevail on the Visitor to the university to act urgently.
