‎UNIMED ASUU Grounds Academic Activities Over FGN-ASUU Agreement

‎The Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo State (ASUU-UNIMEDO), has declared a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike over the failure of the Ondo State Government to fully implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and pay accrued arrears dating back to January 1, 2026.

‎The decision was taken at the union’s congress meeting on Thursday, following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the university management and the state government to implement the agreement.

‎According to the union, the ultimatum expired on August 25 without full implementation of the agreement, leaving the congress with no option but to direct members to commence the industrial action.

‎In a statement signed by the chairman of ASUU-UNIMEDO, Comrade Abraham Oladebeye, and Secretary, Comrade Adeniran Akinola, the union directed all members to withdraw from their statutory academic duties with immediate effect.

‎The union said the strike would continue indefinitely until the agreement was fully implemented and the accrued arrears from January 1, 2026, paid, subject to further directives from the union’s National Executive Council (NEC).

‎Consequently, lecturers have been directed to suspend lectures, classes, continuous assessments and examinations across the university.

‎The directive also covers undergraduate, conversion and postgraduate seminars, as well as departmental, faculty, committee and Senate meetings, whether statutory or emergency and whether held physically or virtually.

‎ASUU-UNIMEDO also ordered the suspension of students’ research projects, Industrial Training (IT) supervision and fieldwork, effectively grounding academic activities at the university.

‎It also directed the activation of its Branch Strike Coordinating Committee to monitor compliance with the strike resolutions and ensure that members adhere to the directive.

‎The development came despite Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa’s August 17 announcement that his administration had approved the immediate implementation of the Federal Government/unions agreement in all state-owned tertiary institutions, alongside a 60 per cent increase in their monthly subventions.

‎However, reacting to the governor’s announcement, the ASUU-UNIMEDO chairman said no money had been released, insisting that the union’s demand remained the full implementation of the agreement and payment of all accrued arrears from January 1, 2026.

‎The UNIMED strike comes amid similar indefinite industrial actions by ASUU chapters at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), and Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, over the non-implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement.