Sources within ASUU’s National Executive Council confirmed the development following a meeting at the University of Ibadan, The Punch reports.

The notice will be forwarded to the Federal Ministries of Labour and Education.

“This is not an ultimatum but a strike notice,” explained an ASUU source.

“We are providing a 21-day notice in accordance with labor laws to ensure our actions are legally compliant.”

ASUU’s move comes amid unresolved issues with the federal government, including the non-implementation of prior agreements.

Despite a June 26 meeting with Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman to address these issues and prevent a strike, the union reports that agreements remain unmet.

ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke highlighted ongoing grievances, such as the unmet 2009 renegotiated agreements and accumulated academic allowances over six years.

The union also criticized the lack of progress on revitalisation funds, with only one payment made since 2013, and expressed concerns over the proliferation of poorly funded new universities.

The ASUU Federal University Dutse (FUD) Branch Chairperson in Jigawa State, Comrade Salim Ahmed, issued the warning at an emergency press conference held at the ASUU Secretariat in Dutse.

Ahmed stated, “the Members of the Expanded Executive Officers of the ASUU Federal University Dutse met today, Wednesday, 19th June 2024, to consider and take a look at the patriotic engagements of the Union with the Federal and State governments on how best to address all the lingering problems bedeviling Nigerian Public Universities”.

He noted that since the current administration took office on May 29, 2023, it has deliberately ignored ASUU’s leadership.

Efforts to convene a meeting with the government to discuss the issues, following the International Labour Organization’s principle of collective bargaining, have failed.

The renegotiation of the FGN/ASUU 2009 agreement covers critical issues such as welfare, university autonomy, funding for revitalization, and the proliferation of public universities.

Other unresolved issues include the illegal dissolution of university governing councils, withheld salaries, unpaid sabbatical and adjunct salaries due to IPPIS inefficiencies, third-party deductions, Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), and the adoption of UTAS instead of IPPIS.

Ahmed stressed the union’s frustration with the government’s inaction, stating, “Our branch, like others, believes the Federal Government is unwilling to address these outstanding issues. We resolved to inform parents and stakeholders about the situation and the government’s failure to act.”

Within the next three weeks, ASUU plans to mobilize its members for potential action and calls on well-meaning individuals to urge the government to address these issues to prevent an industrial crisis in Nigeria’s already fragile university system.

According to a leader of the NLC told our correspondent in Abuja, the Centres are expected to issue a statement shortly before the commencement of negotiations with the government.

The agreement stated, “The President of Nigeria, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is committed to establishing a National Minimum Wage higher than N60,000; and the Tripartite Committee will convene daily for the next week to finalise an agreeable National Minimum Wage.”

The organised labour also agreed to “immediately hold meetings of its organs to consider this new offer, and no worker would face victimisation as a consequence of participating in the industrial action.”

These resolutions were signed on behalf of the Federal Government by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

The previous committee meeting on May 31 ended abruptly when the Organised Labour negotiating team walked out, protesting the government and organised private sector’s refusal to raise the offer beyond N60,000.

According to Vanguard, this move suggests that the government is concerned about workers’ compliance and participation in the ongoing indefinite nationwide strike.

The proposed meeting is set to take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

Recall that organized labour shut down the nation’s economy on Monday due to the Federal Government’s inability to adopt its proposed national minimum wage.

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga said the organised Labour in Nigeria is harming the people it should be fighting for.

He lamented that sick people cannot have access to medical care at government hospitals due to the nationwide strike.

Posting on X, Onanuga wrote: “It’s saddening that Labour could go to this extreme. But it is not surprising to the perceptive minds. Labour is harming the Nigerian people they claim to be fighting for. Today, many sick Nigerians cannot access medical care at government hospitals.

“Not even those with critical medical conditions. It appears labour is playing politics by other means. Many of the affiliates of the two central unions, NLC and TUC are members and supporters of the Labour Party.

“They logically bear ill will and grudges against the Tinubu administration. Otherwise, the issue they claim to be fighting for cannot be resolved by blackmail or sabotage, they cannot even be resolved by the Federal Government unilaterally, the Labour leaders will still have to return to the negotiating table.”

Dismissing the government’s claims of fulfilling 80% of the October 2, 2023, agreement, the NLC urged transparency and swift action to address the ongoing hardship faced by citizens.

The letter, dated February 29, 2024, and addressed to the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, emphasized the need for tangible progress in implementing the agreement by the March 13, 2024, deadline to avoid an impending industrial crisis.

The letter, titled “Has the government truly implemented the October 2, 2023, agreement,” outlined various concerns regarding the agreement’s implementation.

It highlighted discrepancies, including delays in wage payments, unfulfilled promises regarding refinery production, and the failure to deliver cash transfers to impoverished households as pledged.

The NLC urged the government to prioritize the welfare of workers and alleviate financial burdens by fulfilling its commitments, including tax waivers and wage awards.

Failure to do so, the NLC warned, would exacerbate restiveness among citizens and undermine trust between the government and the Nigerian people.

The NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) jointly issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to honor a 16-point agreement made with workers since October last year.

Uchenna Ekwe, Head of International Relations at the NLC, clarified the purpose behind such actions, highlighting that ultimatums are only issued after repeated attempts at private communication with the government fail to yield results.

“Usually people see when NLC starts putting warning and if you notice the comments, people will say we don’t want a strike, it will disrupt. Balancing all these, Let me make this clear, the NLC is actually never interested in a strike, we don’t want a strike; we want the right things to be done,” Ekwe affirmed during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

The NLC stressed that despite ongoing reminders to the government regarding the October agreement, some key points remain unaddressed, necessitating public action.

Dismissive of accusations that Labour is merely posturing, Ekwe asserted that such tactics serve no benefit to workers or the Nigerian populace.

Regarding the agreement’s partial implementation, particularly concerning wage awards, Ekwe pointed out widespread non-compliance among states, highlighting the need for uniformity.

Furthermore, Ekwe criticized the inadequacy of palliatives provided by several states in response to the petrol subsidy removal, labeling them as insufficient and impractical.

The NLC, along with the TUC, conveyed their dissatisfaction with the government’s inaction, setting a 14-day deadline for compliance, effective from February 9 to February 23, 2024.

Oyerinde’s remarks come amidst the second day of the ongoing strike by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), initiated on November 13 to address the perceived inaction of the Federal Government concerning the assault on NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in Imo state.

NECA strongly condemned the harassment and brutalization of the NLC president, emphasizing that shutting down the entire national economy was unjustifiable.

Oyerinde questioned the effectiveness of incessant strikes in solving underlying issues, considering the challenging economic state.

He pointed out that organized businesses were already struggling to survive, emphasizing the need for fundamental considerations by both the government and labor.

Oyerinde stressed that the private sector should not be unfairly affected by actions or inactions, highlighting the detrimental impact on businesses and employees.

The Director-General urged a return to the negotiation table, emphasizing the importance of a pragmatic approach. If the current negotiation model proves ineffective, Oyerinde suggested adopting a new one. He advocated for the exploration of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to foster a more constructive dialogue between the government and organized labor.

The incident occurred in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on November 1, 2023, prompting nationwide strikes by labor seeking justice.

Ribadu revealed that suspects connected to the assault have been apprehended. The assault on Ajaero transpired as he was about to lead a protest against alleged anti-labor practices by Governor Hope Uzodimma-led administration.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, had earlier redeployed the then Commissioner of Police in the state, Mohammed Barde, and initiated an investigation into the assault ahead of the November 11, 2023, governorship poll in Imo State.

However, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, expressed a lack of confidence in the IGP’s probe, urging the NSA to take charge of the investigation.

Responding to Osifo’s call, the NSA, in a statement signed by the Head of Strategic Communication in the NSA Office, Zakari Mijinyawa, conveyed regret for the incident and condemned it as a violation of the rule of law and the principles of freedom of association and expression endorsed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration.

The NSA assured that relevant authorities have been directed to conduct a thorough investigation, with some arrests already made.

The outcome of the investigation will be made public upon its conclusion. Ribadu, on behalf of the Federal Government, appealed to labor leadership to call off the ongoing strike and allow the ongoing dialogue process to be exhausted.

Speaking to striking workers gathered at the Idongesit Nkanga State Secretariat in compliance with the national directive for an indefinite strike, James emphasized the continuation of the action until the government responds.

He stated, “Workers in the state will ensure total compliance to the national body directive for an indefinite strike until the Federal Government meets all demands of workers.

“It is an indefinite strike, tomorrow we will all assemble here. After that, we will come down to Akwa Ibom and meet with the Governor.”

James further announced that the labor union in the state would visit all offices to enforce the nationwide strike as directed.

The ongoing strike has led to the closure of banks, public institutions, and schools in compliance with the national action.

At the state secretariat, labor leaders were observed playing drums while workers danced to the tunes.

Meanwhile, the federal secretariat’s gate remained open, with an operation quick response vehicle and security operatives on standby.