ASUU suspends strike, issues one month ultimatum to FG to meet demands

by Obasola Olatunde 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its two-week warning strike issuing the Federal Government a one-month ultimatum to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and resolve other lingering issues affecting Nigeria’s public universities.

ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the decision on Wednesday in Abuja after the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which reviewed progress made in talks with the government and mediating bodies.

Piwuna said the suspension followed fruitful engagements with the Federal Government and interventions from the National Assembly, noting that the strike had achieved part of its objective by compelling officials to return to the negotiation table.

“We have not achieved all our objectives, but we are certainly not where we were before the strike began. This shows that had the government responded earlier, there would have been no need for the action,” he said.

The ASUU president revealed that the government, through a committee led by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, met with the union on October 16 and 18 to review the draft renegotiated agreement, while the Senate Committees on Tertiary Education, TETFund, and Labour, as well as Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, played key mediating roles.

He explained that NEC decided to suspend the strike in deference to students, parents, the media, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and other stakeholders who appealed for dialogue and supported the union’s cause.

However, Piwuna warned that if the government fails to address the unresolved issues within the one month window, ASUU will resume industrial action without further notice.

“The struggle continues,” he declared, urging Nigerians to prevail on the government to honour its commitments and ensure stability in the university system.

Edo to recruit 3,000 teachers

The Edo State Government has announced plans to recruit 3,000 additional teachers to strengthen manpower in public schools across the state.

Governor Monday Okpebholo disclosed this on Wednesday while receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Edo State chapter, in recognition of his administration’s reforms and commitment to revamping the education sector.

The announcement comes a week after the governor regularised the employment of 5,000 EdoSTAR teachers, who had worked as contract staff earning ₦65,000 monthly during the previous administration. The formal presentation of appointment letters was held at the Government House, Benin City.

Okpebholo said the new recruitment drive aims to eliminate teacher shortages, reduce overcrowded classrooms, and ensure that no public school is left without qualified educators.

“We are building and renovating schools across Edo, and as infrastructure improves, so must manpower. Our goal is to make sure every child receives quality education in a conducive environment,” he said.

The governor reaffirmed education as the cornerstone of his development agenda, pledging continued collaboration with labour unions to sustain industrial harmony. He also promised to donate a bus to the NUT to enhance its statewide monitoring operations.

In his remarks, NUT Chairman Bernard Ajobiewe commended the governor for restoring dignity to the teaching profession and fulfilling long standing promises ignored by the past administration.

Similarly, Edo NLC Acting Chairman, Comrade Bernard Egwahide, hailed Okpebholo’s “people centred leadership” and assured the unions’ continued support.

Since assuming office, Governor Okpebholo has implemented far reaching reforms across the civil service, including the direct employment of 1,000 cleaners as civil servants and the recruitment of nearly 2,000 new staff in health, education, and agriculture, bringing total new hires to over 3,000 within a year.

Cross River shuts 36 illegal Schools across three LGAs

The Cross River State Government has closed down 36 unapproved primary and secondary schools operating without registration or official approval in Calabar, Ikom, and Ogoja local government areas.

Confirming the development in Calabar on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Stephen Odey, described the proliferation of unaccredited schools as “unfortunate,” lamenting that some individuals continue to exploit unsuspecting parents under the guise of offering formal education.

Odey said the shutdowns followed a statewide enforcement exercise by the newly inaugurated Task Force on Illegal Schools, adding that the ministry would no longer tolerate unregistered or “mushroom” institutions in the state’s education system.

“We have begun full-scale enforcement across the three educational zones to sanitise the system and ensure that only schools meeting required standards are allowed to operate,” he said.

According to a ministry publication, 16 schools were closed in Calabar, 10 in Ikom, and another 10 in Ogoja, all found to be operating without government approval.

The commissioner urged parents and guardians to verify schools’ approval status before enrolling their children, warning that the clampdown would be extended to all 18 local government areas of the state.

“This exercise will continue until every illegal school is either regularised or shut down. We are determined to protect the integrity of education in Cross River State,” he added.