Benue varsity lecturers begin indefinite strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benue State University (BSU) chapter, has begun an indefinite strike over the inability of the institution’s management to keep to its agreements with the union.

The union made this known in a statement jointly signed by its chairperson and the secretary, Comrade Kwaghfan Tarnongo and Comrade Terrumun Gajir, respectively on Friday, February 2, 2024.

The lecturers, however, cleared the Benue State Government of any wrongdoing and commended it for regular funding of the university.

They stated that the national body of ASUU approved its request to embark on the indefinite strike, noting that it would continue until their demands were met.

The lecturers said: “The National body of the Academic Staff Union of Universities has approved the request by the BSU to resume the strike it suspended on June 26, 2023.

“The permission to proceed on this strike was formally communicated to members of the Branch on Thursday at an emergency congress.”

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They listed their demands to include the implementation and payment of accrued arrears of 2021, 2022, and 2023 promotions and annual incremental steps.

Others are April 2023 salary arrears, shortfall in the salaries of staff of the College of Health Sciences, payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), and payment of sundry allowances.

The demands also include the non-enrolment and implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme among other issues.

The lecturers stated that the management of BSU refused to address their welfare concerns after a series of engagements with the management.

They added: “The most provocative of all is the tripartite agreement reached in January 2023 between the Benue Government, BSU management and the Governing Council and ASUU-BSU.

“This agreement which stipulated and increased funding to the university to address the issues of promotion and annual increment is a road map to industrial harmony in BSU.

“The state government has kept its part of the agreement and has continued to sustain the additional funds to the university for specific purposes.”

The lecturers alleged that the management of BSU collected additional funds from the Benue State Government but refused to pay the staff their entitlements.

Speaking on the strike, a senior official of the university, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the management would release a statement after their meeting.

The Star