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Academic activities have been suspended at two major tertiary institutions in Bayelsa State after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) declared an indefinite strike over what it described as the state government’s failure to honour agreements reached with the unions.
The industrial action affects Niger Delta University (NDU) and Bayelsa Medical University (BMU). It followed separate enlarged congresses held at the institutions’ campuses in Amassoma and Yenagoa, where lecturers deliberated on the outstanding issues and resolved to withdraw their services until the government addresses their demands.
At the Amassoma campus, ASUU-NDU Chairperson, Comrade Oyinkepreye Lucky Bebeteidoh, confirmed the decision, accusing the Bayelsa State Government of failing to implement a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed in December 2025.
“The agreement had an implementation timeline of January 2026. We are now in August 2026, and nothing has been done,” Bebeteidoh declared.
A major demand of the union is the implementation of the computed figure of CATA (Consolidated Academic Salary Structure) for academic staff across the three state-owned universities. The union puts the total financial obligation at N336,936,294.87, based on an agreement signed on December 23, 2025.
Bebeteidoh described the delay as unacceptable, noting that other states with significantly lower revenues had already implemented similar agreements with their university workers.
“Available records show that more than 10 states who do not get half of what comes to Bayelsa State government from the Federation Account have implemented,” he said.
“Other states did not wait for Bayelsa State government to implement before they started. Why will Bayelsa State government wait for other states to implement before they do?”
The lecturers also raised concerns over unpaid wage award arrears. According to the union, workers are still owed 19 months of the 25 per cent and 35 per cent wage awards introduced to help cushion the impact of rising economic hardship.
“More than a year after the signing of the MoU, no action has been taken on the 19 months Arrears,” Bebeteidoh lamented.
He said the union had written formally to the state government in February 2026, reminding the authorities of the agreement and urging them to begin the payment of the outstanding arrears.
The indefinite strike is expected to affect academic activities at both institutions until the issues raised by the lecturers are resolved.
