Imo State University (IMSU) students have expressed their displeasure with their lecturers’ decision to embark on an indefinite strike while exams are ongoing.

On Friday, IMSU lecturers under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on an indefinite strike as a last resort to drive home their demands and get the state government to address the unresolved issues plaguing them.

The lecturers listed the following challenges:

Promotions without financial benefits since 2016.

ASUU-IMSU staff salary disparity with those of other comparable tertiary institutions.

Undue delays in staff assessment and promotions.

Non-repayment of earned academic allowance since 2009.

Non-remittance of union check-off/welfare dues from February 2020 to September 2021.

Non-remittance of pension deductions from May 2016 to date.

Non-payment of annual increment in salaries.

Inclusion of Imo State University in the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

Funding of the university.

Erosion of the university autonomy.

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ASUU IMSU press release.

EQ learnt that the lecturers had issued a 21-day notice to the state government to resolve the issues and had made several attempts to address them through letters, meetings, rallies and press releases, but the university administration had made no move to help resolve them.

STUDENTS REACT

A final-year student of the University, who did not want to be named, told EQ on Saturday that students had just commenced their second-semester exams.

IMSU students were looking forward to completing their exams and resuming a new academic session when the lecturers embarked on the strike.

“We started our second-semester exams on September 17 and I have only three more papers to write as a final-year student,” she told EQ.

“Embarking on the strike is not a good move. We experienced a 9-month strike in 2022. I really want to graduate.”

The student also told EQ that unverified statements informing students to hold on till Monday to see if the strike will commence are making waves on campus.

When EQ asked her if the statement was made by lecturers to other university staff members, she told EQ that she did not know who made the statement.

“They forwarded the press statement to us though we were told to hold on till Monday to know if the strike will commence,” the final-year student told EQ.

“They said. I don’t know who said so.”

Another student shares this sentiment.

Felix (not real name), an IMSU student currently undergoing industrial training, told EQ that the lecturers’ decision to embark on a strike was not good.

“I am unhappy about the strike action despite being on IT. It is not a good move. They are slowing our progress,” Felix told EQ.

An average four-year period for undergraduate studies could extend due to strike actions such as this.

Public university staff across Nigeria often decide to call for strikes as a last resort to demand their pay.
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