Benue varsity ASUU suspends strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Benue State University (ASUU-BSU) Branch, Makurdi, has suspended its strike.

According to a statement issued by the chairman and secretary of the association, Comrades Kwagfan Tarnongo and Terrumun Gajir, respectively, and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Wednesday, the union said it has suspended its strike.

The BSU ASUU went on strike on February 1, 2024, to demand the following:

• Implementation and payment of accrued arrears of 2021, 2022, and 2023 promotions
• Implementation and payment of accrued arrears of annual incremental step, April 2023 salary arrears
• Shortfall in the salaries of staff of the College of Health Sciences
• Payment of Earned Academic Allowance
• Payment of sundry allowances (PG, GST, EPS, SANDWICH, etc.) among others.

The union met on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Congress was briefed on the efforts of the Benue State Government to resolve the crisis in the university which led to the Branch embarking on a strike action on February 1, 2024. These efforts include a tripartite agreement between the Benue State Government, the Benue State University Administration, and ASUU-BSU. The agreement addresses the issues that led to the strike and, for which, the state government assured the agreement will be fully implemented.

The union said that based on the personal intervention of the visitor to the University, Governor Hyacinth Alia, and his personal appeal and assurances that all the grievances of ASUU-BSU will be resolved as soon as it suspends the strike action.

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“The Congress therefore mandated the Branch Executive Committee to enter into the tripartite agreement.

“Thus, the Congress of ASUU-BSU resolved to suspend the strike action in deference to the intervention of the Visitor and Executive governor of Benue State.

“The Congress of ASUU-BSU firmly believes that the government under Governor Hyacinth Alia shall ensure that the agreement is implemented fully, expeditiously, and satisfactorily.

“In view of the foregoing, and following permission from ASUU National, ASUU-BSU wishes to inform the public that the strike it embarked upon on February 1, 2024, has been suspended today, March 13, 2024,” the statement read in parts.