Hendrix Oliomogbe
The Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to relocate its zonal secretariat to one of the three striking state owned universities in Ondo State in solidarity for effective monitoring of the situation.
Academic activities have been paralyzed in the three state owned tertiary institutions at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, and the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, for over 30 days following the refusal by the government to implement the watershed 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement.
A statement by the zonal coordinator, Prof. Monday Lewis Igbafen at Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Delta State weekend and made available to journalists in Benin City berated the Ondo State Government for its uncooperative attitude and refusal to implement the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement.
Prof. Igbafen, who slammed the state government for gross underfunding of the three state owned tertiary institutions, also condemned in strong terms, its lukewarm disposition towards the implementation of the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement.
Recalled that the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement was formally unveiled on 14th January, 2026 by the federal government, signalling what has been described as the end of years of struggle to renegotiate the 2009 Agreement and to secure an enduring industrial peace in the nation's public universities.
Prof. Igbafen said that while credible reports indicated that Edo and Delta State Governments have given the green light to implement the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement in their state universities with effect from September 2026 and the payment of arrears from January 2026, the Ondo State Government is foot-dragging and demonstrating insensitivity to the welfare of staff and the plight of students who are presently at home because of the ongoing strike in their institutions.
The statement maintained that the development in the three state universities is not only regrettable but provocative and unjust, as lecturers in these institutions are being short-changed by the governor and visitor, who has failed to provide the financial backing required for the implementation of the said Agreement.
The zonal coordinator urged the federal government, especially the Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC), to call Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Visitor to the three state universities to order.Benin Zone
Prof. Igbafen called on the Ondo State Government to demonstrate its sincere commitment to the welfare of staff and the education of students in the three state universities by prioritising education.
The Benin Zone comprises the University of Benin; Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State; Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State; and University of Medical Sciences, Ondo State.
Others are Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State; Delta State University, Abraka; University of Delta, Agbor; Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba; and Southern Delta University, Ozoro.
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