By Kelvin Ololo
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) branch, has declared a total and indefinite strike over what it described as the failure of the university management, governing council, and government to implement agreements reached with the union.
The decision was announced rising from a Congress held Tuesday 19 May 2026, in the state institution containing in a Strike Bulletin No. 1 and signed by the Branch Chairperson, Dr. Patrick O. Ushie.
According to the bulletin, the strike action took effect immediately on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, following unresolved issues surrounding the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU renegotiated agreement and other welfare-related demands.
The union stated that the industrial action became necessary after authorities allegedly failed to address critical financial and administrative concerns affecting academic staff of the University of Cross River State.
Among the demands listed by ASUU-UNICROSS are the immediate implementation of the 2025 FG-ASUU renegotiated agreement, including salary structures and welfare benefits such as CATA, EAA, and professional allowances, effective from January 1, 2026, alongside payment of accrued arrears.
The union also demanded implementation of the non-financial components of the agreement without delay and called for increased government funding to the state university.
ASUU further insisted that monthly salaries must be paid promptly on or before the third day of every succeeding month.
The lecturers also demanded payment of all unpaid salaries and arrears arising from the 35 percent and 25 percent wage award implemented in public universities since January 2023.
According to the strike bulletin, welfare levy deductions described as Special Support Fund deductions made in 2024 and 2025, amounting to ₦2,154,000, should be remitted immediately.
The union additionally alleged that outstanding arrears of check-off dues owed to the ASUU-UNICROSS branch and ASUU National since 2017 amount to ₦11,868,859.67, including deductions for November 2025 and December 2024 which are yet to be remitted.
The union further demanded the remittance of ₦69 million deducted from staff cooperative contributions.
Other demands include payment of outstanding promotion arrears estimated at over ₦1 billion, earned academic allowances amounting to ₦45 million accrued between July 2011 and December 2017, and remittance of unpaid National Housing Fund deductions to the Federal Mortgage Bank.
The union however called for strict adherence to conditions of service regarding administrative appointments within the institution. Stating that during the strike period there would be no academic meetings, including Senate, departmental, faculty, and council meetings.
Lecturers are also barred from teaching or having academic contact with students.
Moreover, the union noted that research and community service activities may continue during the strike period.
“The strike is total and indefinite,” the bulletin declared.
The union advised members to rely only on official information from the branch leadership and urged them to attend congress meetings promptly.
The development is expected to further disrupt academic activities at UNICROSS, coming amid recent tensions within the institution following student protests over the handling of victims involved in a fatal road accident earlier this month.
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