Harry Archie
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Imo State University (IMSU) branch, has declared a total and indefinite strike over the alleged failure to implement the 2025 agreement between the union and the Federal Government.
The union announced the strike on Monday, August 10, 2026, during a press conference 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.
The agreement was signed by ASUU and the Federal Government on December 23, 2025, and was expected to take effect from January 1, 2026.
According to the union, it had held several meetings with the university management and formally presented the agreement.
It also issued a 21-day ultimatum, but said there had been no meaningful response.
ASUU said other state-owned universities, including universities in Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun and Sokoto states, had started implementing the agreement, while similar action had not been taken at IMSU.
The union also listed several other issues affecting its members, including alleged non-payment of promotion arrears dating back to 2016, unpaid salaries owed to some staff for several months, and 21 months of withheld union check-off dues.
ASUU-IMSU also complained about the non-payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) since 2009 and the continued inclusion of the university in the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which it said had affected the institution’s autonomy.
The union said some of these issues were among the reasons it went on strike in 2024.
It said the strike was later suspended after the university management appealed to the union and promised to address the problems.
ASUU-IMSU said it would remain on strike until the 2025 agreement was fully implemented.
The union called on the Imo State Government to urgently direct the implementation of the agreement.It also appealed to traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, parents, student unions and other stakeholders to intervene in the dispute.
The union, however, said it remained open to dialogue and peaceful negotiations with the relevant authorities.
ASUU said its decision to embark on the strike was due to what it described as the continued neglect of the welfare of its members.
The university management and the Imo State Government had yet to publicly respond to the union’s claims as of the time of filing this report.
