The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Benue State University (BSU) has initiated an indefinite strike due to the failure of the university’s management to fulfill its commitments to the union. In a statement issued by Comrade Kwaghfan Tarnongo, Chairperson, and Comrade Terrumun Gajir, Secretary of the union, it was clarified that the Benue Government was not at fault and was appreciated for consistently providing funding to the university.

The national body of ASUU approved the request for the indefinite strike, emphasizing that it would persist until their demands were addressed. The union’s demands include the implementation and payment of overdue 2021, 2022, and 2023 promotions and annual incremental steps, April 2023 salary arrears, shortfall in the salaries of staff of the College of Health Sciences, payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), payment of sundry allowances, and the non-enrollment and implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme, among other issues. The union stated that the BSU management had neglected their welfare concerns despite numerous engagements.

The union highlighted a tripartite agreement reached in January 2023 between the Benue Government, BSU management, the Governing Council, and ASUU-BSU, which outlined increased funding to the university to address promotion and annual increment issues as crucial for industrial harmony in BSU. Despite the state government fulfilling its part of the agreement and continuously providing additional funds to the university for specific purposes, the management of BSU allegedly collected the extra funds but did not disburse the staff’s entitlements.

The union had suspended a prior strike in June 2023 following assurances from the BSU management to honor the January 2023 agreement. However, it claimed that the university breached the agreement by failing to pay the arrears of the annual increment despite receiving funds from the state government. Additionally, the union opposed the withholding of November salaries by the university management in December 2023 due to the refusal to submit the 2020/2021 examination scores.

A senior university official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the management would issue a statement after their meeting.