Plateau State University ignores ASUU directives, goes on strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Plateau State University chapter has, on what seems deviant of the directives of the national body, commenced an indefinite strike demanding for improved welfare and working environment.

The ASUU had earlier issued a directive that the union had decided to postpone its former intention to embark on strike while consultations are ongoing.

However, the Plateau State University chapter in a joint statement issued by Hassan Zitta and Deme Bitrus, the chairperson and secretary respectively of the union explained that the decision to go on strike was reached at its congress held on Monday, December 20, 2021.

According to the statement, the Plateau government failed to honour the agreement it entered with the union which prompted the union to insist on going on the industrial action.

Read also: ASUU postpones strike, insists on lecturers’ welfare

It stated that the lingering issues border on the rising insecurity around the university and non-payment of earned allowances.

The state chapter of ASUU disclosed that there was a lack of habitable accommodation for both students and staff and that they had been calling on the state government to build more lecture halls for better learning and teaching in the school.

“At our congress held on Monday, December 20, members reviewed the level of implementation of the Plateau State Government/ASUU-PLASU agreement,” the statement explained.

According to the statement, the union resolved that the state government, which had signed an agreement with the ASUU chapter on March 2, 2021, had failed to live up to the agreement.

Moreover, the statement decried the failure of the state government to address security concerns by deploying the services of armed civil defence corps, and could not locate a functional police post in the university’s host community.

Besides, it alleged that the Plateau State government has not been able to settle the national minimum wage arrears within the first quarter of the year, refused to release the N70 million part payment of the tranche of earned academic allowance arrears, among other claims that triggered the decision to go on strike.