The Niger Delta University (NDU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has resolved to embark on an industrial action due to the Bayelsa State Government’s alleged failure to fulfill the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on September 1, 2022. This move, announced by the union’s chairman, Comrade Oyinkepreye Lucky Bebeteidoh, highlights growing frustration within the academic community over unaddressed issues affecting both staff and the institution’s operations.
During a press briefing at the ASUU secretariat on NDU’s Wilberforce Island campus in Ammassoma, Bebeteidoh outlined the grievances that led to the decision. Chief among them is the state government’s refusal to engage in dialogue despite numerous attempts by the union to seek an audience with the university’s visitor, Governor Douye Diri. According to Bebeteidoh, the union’s congress has overwhelmingly voted to initiate the process of resuming its previously suspended strike action.
ASUU’s grievances are extensive. The union demands the immediate implementation of a 35% and 25% salary increment for its members, alongside the payment of arrears dating back to January 2023. Additionally, ASUU calls for the prompt enforcement of the N70,000 minimum wage, as well as the annual step increment, with arrears owed since 2018.
“The failure to address these financial obligations has not only demoralized the staff but has also undermined the quality of education at NDU,” said Bebeteidoh. He further emphasized the need for on-campus residential accommodations for staff to alleviate the stress and risks associated with daily commutes from Yenagoa.
Another critical point of contention is the alleged neglect of academic manpower at the university. The union is demanding the recruitment of new academic staff, particularly those below the rank of senior lecturer, to bridge the significant manpower gap across various departments. This gap, ASUU argues, has severely hindered the university’s ability to meet accreditation requirements.
Moreover, ASUU has expressed grave concerns over the state government’s failure to initiate any new projects at the university since the current administration took office. Bebeteidoh lamented the state of the institution, describing it as a “TETFund University,” with most infrastructural and human resource developments being driven solely by interventions from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and other federal agencies.
He warned that efforts are underway to redistribute TETFund resources across all universities in the state, a move ASUU views as detrimental to NDU. According to TETFund guidelines, only two universities within a state are eligible for funding, and ASUU fears that spreading these resources too thin could strip NDU of its vital lifeline.
“Regrettably, it has become clear that industrial action is the only language to which successive governments respond,” Bebeteidoh remarked. He added that the strike would commence following ratification by ASUU’s national leadership, signaling a readiness to halt academic activities once again in the ongoing struggle for the union’s demands.
