The Lagos State University branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged students to disregard statements issued by both the university management and the Students’ Union, which claim that normal activities are ongoing despite the ongoing industrial actions by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Related Institutions (NASU).
ASUU announced an indefinite strike beginning on December 6, 2024, to protest the government’s failure to implement a 25% to 35% salary increase for its members, which was approved in January 2023.
According to a statement released by ASUU-LASU’s Chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Bakare, and Secretary, Sylvester Idowu, the strike aims to address the unresolved issue of salary adjustments for academic staff.
The union expressed disappointment that while the salary increment has been implemented at federal universities and 18 state universities, the same has not been honoured for LASU staff.
Additionally, ASUU highlighted an ongoing salary disparity between staff at LASU and those at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUST) and Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), which predates the upgrade of these institutions to university status.
The statement titled ‘ASUU-LASU EMBARKS ON A TOTAL AND INDEFINITE STRIKE’ reads, “This is to notify the University Community and the general public that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos State University Branch has commenced a total and indefinite strike action, effective from the 6th December 2024 to protest the non-implementation of the Federal Government-approved salary increment of 25%/35% for our members since January 2023.
“We note with dismay that this agreement has been implemented in all the Federal Universities and eighteen (18) State Universities as at today.
“Please be further informed that another reason for the declaration of the strike action is that, long before their upgrade/transformation into university status, the salaries of the staff of Lagos State University of Science and Technology and the Lagos State University of Education were and are still higher than those of our staff; hence the need for harmonisation of the salary disparity in the three institutions.
“The committee constituted by the government to make recommendations to harmonise the salaries has since submitted its report. However, implementation of the recommendations of the Committee by the Government has remained a hoax.
“We use this medium to appeal to our world-class students to display a high sense of maturity, solidarity, and understanding in this matter. We implore them to keep calm and watch as events unfold. We are aware that the state government and the university management are making frantic efforts to resolve the unfortunate development.
“Our law-abiding students should disregard the press release dated 7th December, 2024, jointly signed by the LASU Students’ Union President and the Public Relations Officer that activities continue in LASU despite the SSANU and NASU Industrial Strike.
“We wish to remind them that students have no stake in the matter or possess any right to meddle into welfare issues involving staff members of the University and the Government, and as such they should not allow themselves to be used in a matter that does not directly concern them.
“The declaration of the strike action by ASUU-LASU is in conformity with the decision of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of all the Staff Unions in the University, and a letter to this effect, jointly signed by all the leaders of the Staff Unions in LASU, has been sent not only to the Vice Chancellor but also to Mr Governor, who is the Visitor to our University. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.”