LAUTECH ASUU Begins Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid Entitlements, Unimplemented FG Agreement

By Victoria Isaac 

Academic activities at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, are set to be disrupted indefinitely as the university’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) prepares to embark on a total strike over outstanding staff entitlements and the delayed implementation of a federal agreement.

The union said the industrial action would commence at midnight on Thursday, October 29, following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the university management, which it accused of failing to provide a satisfactory response to its demands.

In a statement dated October 29, 2026, the branch chairperson, Professor Olujimi Dada, and secretary, Dr Soji Arinola, attributed the decision to unresolved issues surrounding the 2025 agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU, alongside outstanding financial obligations to staff.

According to the union, the agreement was signed in December 2025 and subsequently accepted and approved for implementation by the university’s Governing Council. However, the council and university management reportedly cited inadequate funding as the reason for the delay in fully implementing its provisions.

The decision followed an emergency congress held on Wednesday, October 28, where members reviewed the outcome of discussions between ASUU representatives and the university management at the Vice-Chancellor’s office on Tuesday, October 27.

The meeting was part of efforts to resolve the dispute before the ultimatum expired, but the discussions failed to produce an outcome acceptable to the union.

Negotiations Fail To Break Deadlock

ASUU said it had made several attempts to resolve the dispute through engagements with the university administration, the Governing Council and the Oyo State Government.

The union maintained that it had explored formal and informal channels, including consultative meetings, in a bid to settle the issues without disrupting academic activities. It also reiterated its preference for dialogue but said the efforts had failed to produce the desired outcome.

With the backing of its National Executive Council (NEC) for the resolution reached by its congress, the LAUTECH branch formally declared a trade dispute with the university on October 14, 2026, and issued a 14-day ultimatum.

The union demanded the commencement of full implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and payment of outstanding staff entitlements, particularly the unpaid balance of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) and promotion arrears accumulated between 2013 and 2025.

Following the declaration, the university management invited ASUU representatives to a meeting on October 27 in another attempt to resolve the disagreement.

At the meeting, the management reportedly informed the union that efforts were being made to contact the university’s Visitor, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, to seek his intervention in facilitating the full implementation of the agreement.

ASUU, however, maintained that LAUTECH was among only two universities in the South-West yet to fully implement the agreement.

The union further stated that, within its Ibadan Zone, only the two tertiary institutions owned by the Oyo State Government had yet to achieve full implementation. The zone comprises the University of Ibadan, University of Ilorin, Osun State University, Kwara State University, LAUTECH and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education.

At the emergency congress on October 28, members reviewed the outcome of the discussions and concluded that the management had failed to provide a meaningful response to the demands contained in the ultimatum.

The congress consequently resolved to embark on a total and indefinite strike, directing members to withdraw from academic activities until the outstanding issues were addressed.

Unpaid Allowances, Arrears Top Demands

At the centre of the dispute is ASUU’s demand for full implementation of the 2025 agreement, including the payment of consequential arrears dating back to January 2026.

The union is also seeking the settlement of outstanding staff entitlements, particularly the unpaid EAA balance and promotion arrears accumulated between 2013 and 2025.

Beyond financial obligations, ASUU has raised concerns about the university’s governance structure, administrative arrangements and working conditions.

The union wants what it described as distortions in the institution’s governance structure corrected, particularly in relation to the composition of the staff disciplinary committee.

It is also demanding the reconstitution of the Committee of Provosts and Deans (COPD), which it said is currently situated under the Office of the Vice-Chancellor.

Other demands include greater transparency in the university’s electronic voting system, adequate office accommodation for staff and improved infrastructure, particularly facilities serving the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Unit.

Academic Activities Face Indefinite Suspension

Under the strike directive, ASUU members are to suspend all academic activities across the institution indefinitely.

The suspension covers lectures, examinations, statutory meetings, teaching, laboratory work and other academic engagements with students.

The union has also instructed its members to regard only information and directives issued by the branch chairperson as authentic and to comply with such instructions.

The strike is expected to remain in force until the union’s demands are addressed, leaving the resumption of normal academic activities dependent on a resolution of the dispute between ASUU and the university management.