The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Yobe State University (YSU) chapter, has embarked on an indefinite strike to press home its demands.

Ahmed Karage, the chapter’s chairman, stated this at a news conference in Damaturu, the state capital, on Friday.

He listed the demands to include the implementation of consequential adjustments arising from the implementation of the 2024 and 2019 minimum wage, including arrears/variations.

Others include appropriate promotion placements and yearly increments, payment of arrears of yearly increments for staff, payment of promotion arrears from 2018 to 2024, and payment of 35 and 25 per cent salary award consequential adjustment from 2023 to date.

Mr Karage said the strike became the last resort after prolonged patience and several reminders to the government for necessary action fell on deaf ears.

“The situation has now become untenable, leading to loss of morale among academic staff, severely impacting the staff’s ability to function effectively.

“As a university, we recognise our core mandate to teach, research, and contribute to national development through knowledge creation and dissemination.

“ However, this mandate cannot be fulfilled when those who carry it out are not given what they deserve and left without the means to support themselves or their families,” the chairman said.

According to him, most of ASUU’s problems are tied to a lack of autonomy.

“Most of these are tied to a lack of autonomy. We, therefore, demand that Yobe State University be granted autonomy as provided by the University (Miscellaneous Provisions) Autonomy Act 2003,” Mr Karage said.

He, however, regretted the disruption that the strike would cause to students and their families, and solicited their understanding and solidarity.

(NAN)