Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Niger Delta University (NDU) and Bayelsa Medical University (BMU), owned by the Bayelsa State Government, have declared an industrial action over the alleged refusal of the State Government to implement the 2025 CBA agreement and outstanding 19-month arrears, among others.
NDU and BMU declared the indefinite strike action after enlarged congresses held separately at their Amassoma and Yenagoa campuses, respectively, while the University of Africa, Toru-Orua, another state-owned university, gave a two-week ultimatum.
At Amassoma, ASUU-NDU, led by Lucky Bebeteidoh, the Chairperson, confirmed that the union has declared an indefinite strike action, while demanding that the government implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in December, 2025, whose implementation timeline was January, 2026.
Bebeteidoh said: ‘Lecturers are demanding the implementation of the computed figure of CATA for the three state-owned universities amounting to N336, 936, 294.87, for all academic staff, which has a valid signed agreement since December 23rd, 2025.’
He also said that ASUU is demanding the implementation of the CATA, as contained in the agreement.
According to him, ‘ASUU wrote to the state government in February, 2026 to inform the state government of the signed agreement and the need to commence payment.’
He insisted that available records showed that more than 10 states, which do not get half of what comes to Bayelsà State Government from the Federation Account, have implemented the agreement.
He said: ‘Other states did not wait for Bayelsà State Government to implement before they started. Why will Bayelsà State Government wait for other states to implement before they do?’
On the outstanding 19 months 25% and 35% wage award arrears, the ASUU leadership explained that the late implementation of the wage award has led to arrears of 25 months and the payment of six months arrears left a balance of 19 months, with a promise by the state government that it will be paid when state revenue improves.
Bebeteidoh recalled that following the signing of the MOU with the state government in February, 2025, ASUU suspended the avoidable industrial action which was allegedly foisted on the union by the state government.
He lamented that more than a year after the signing of the MoU, no action has been taken on the 19 months’ arrears’.