…calls on governors of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Cross River states, to implement the agreement in full
By Frank Ulom
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Published on July 3, 2026
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5 min read
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Calabar Zone, has threatened to embark on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike across state-owned universities in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Cross River states over what it described as the selective implementation of the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU Agreement.
The union issued the warning in a press briefing held at the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Calabar, on Wednesday, accusing the affected state governments of failing to implement provisions of the agreement despite having participated in its negotiation.
According to the ASUU Calabar Zone Coordinator, Comrade Ikechuku O. Igwenyi, and other zonal and branch leaders, the agreement was concluded after eight years of negotiations and signed on December 23, 2025, taking effect from January 2026.
ASUU said vice chancellors and governing council chairmen of state-owned universities participated in the negotiations, while copies of the agreement were circulated to the institutions in February 2026 for immediate implementation.
The union noted that although implementation had commenced in federal universities and eight state universities in Bauchi, Benue, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun and Sokoto states, none of the state-owned universities within the Calabar Zone had commenced implementation, except Abia State, which it said had shown commitment towards full compliance.
The lecturers described the development as “strange and preposterous,” arguing that the same state university representatives who negotiated the agreement were now presiding over its non-implementation.
ASUU stated that the agreement contains both financial and non-financial components, including a 40 per cent increase in the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), Professorial Allowance and other welfare provisions.
The union alleged that the continued refusal by some state governments to implement the agreement had created conditions for an industrial crisis across universities in the zone.
“ASUU has over the years demonstrated unprecedented patriotism, sacrifice and forbearance. Our members have always chosen the path of intellectual engagement and diplomatic dialogue over disruption. However, it is now clear to us that state governments mistake our civility and uncommon understanding for weakness,” the union said.
The union maintained that if urgent action was not taken, responsibility for any disruption of academic activities would rest squarely with the affected state governments.
ASUU further argued that lecturers in state-owned universities face the same economic realities as their counterparts in federal institutions and should not be denied the improved remuneration provided under the agreement.
“We see the refusal of state governors in ASUU Calabar Zone to implement this agreement as a direct assault on the survival of our members and our education system, an act of economic cruelty and strangulation, and a blatant betrayal of the social contract,” the union stated.
The body expressed solidarity with members at the University of Cross River State, who it said had already been on industrial action for more than three weeks over the non-implementation of the agreement, non-payment of full salaries, withheld check-off dues, cooperative deductions, National Housing Fund contributions, promotion arrears and other outstanding entitlements.
According to ASUU, similar welfare concerns also exist at Abia State University (ABSU), Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), Ebonyi State University (EBSU) and the University of Education and Entrepreneurship (UEE).
The union warned that any future industrial action would be “total, comprehensive and indefinite” unless the state governments immediately commence implementation of the agreement and settle all outstanding arrears.
ASUU also called on the governors of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Cross River states, as visitors to their respective state universities, to implement the agreement in full and pay all accumulated backlogs.
In addition, the union appealed to governing councils, university administrators, state Houses of Assembly committees on education, parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to intervene, particularly in Cross River State, where it said students had remained out of school due to the ongoing industrial action at UNICROSS.
ASUU insisted that it was not demanding favours but seeking the implementation of a duly negotiated agreement and the payment of earned salaries and allowances owed to its members.
At the time of filing this report, the governments of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Cross River states had not publicly responded to the union’s latest ultimatum.
