UNIPORT Lecturers Embark on Indefinite Strike Over Unresolved Salary Issues

Lecturers at the University of Port Harcourt, under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have initiated an indefinite strike action. This decision comes as a direct consequence of the university administration's failure to fully disburse members' salaries and responsibility allowances.

The union stated that this industrial action was necessitated by the management's inability to address their demands, despite a prior meeting where assurances were given regarding the resolution of these issues. Furthermore, the UNIPORT ASUU branch alleged that its members have been systematically excluded from the monthly payment of responsibility allowances for over two years, a benefit reportedly extended to members of other unions within the institution.

Tarila Amakoromo, the ASUU Secretary for the University of Port Harcourt chapter, confirmed these developments in a statement issued to journalists on Thursday. Amakoromo recounted that an emergency congress, convened on Friday, September 11, 2026, had previously given the university's leadership a 48-working-hour ultimatum, which was slated to conclude at midnight on Tuesday, September 15. The union had warned that failure to comply would lead to an indefinite local strike, fully supported by ASUU's national body.

With the administration failing to meet the union's demands, the branch officially declared the indefinite strike during another emergency congress held on Wednesday, September 16. The statement partly read, “A strike action has been declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Port Harcourt Branch following the University Administration’s failure to address the demands of the Union.”

It further recalled the resolutions from the September 11, 2026, emergency congress, which highlighted critical concerns regarding lecturers' salaries and emoluments. These included: incomplete payment of salaries for June, July, and August 2026; partial payment of responsibility allowances; non-payment of responsibility allowances to members under CONMESS & CONHESS (specifically lecturers in the School of Health Sciences); and the continuous sidelining of ASUU members from monthly responsibility allowance payments for over two years, unlike other unions.

Despite a meeting with union representatives on September 11, where the university administration pledged to respond to the demands before the stipulated deadline, no action was taken. “Regrettably, the University Administration, in spite of meeting with the Union on the same day and promising to respond to the Union’s demands before the deadline given by Congress, refused to act as promised,” the statement added.

Consequently, with the 48-hour deadline expiring at midnight on September 15 without any resolution, the branch proceeded to declare the indefinite strike. The union confirmed that all academic and official duties would cease during the strike period. To ensure compliance, a strike monitoring team has been established to oversee activities across the university's main campus and other centres. ASUU members are explicitly prohibited from engaging in lectures, examinations, invigilation, official assignments, or statutory meetings throughout the duration of the strike.