Follow Us on Google
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
An industrial action is looming across Bayelsa State’s three government-owned universities over the state’s failure to implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on December 23, 2025, and unveiled on January 14, 2026.
The CBA sets the minimum conditions of service for academic staff in Nigeria’s public university system.
At a press conference held at the Faculty of Law, Niger Delta University (NDU), ASUU branches of NDU, the University of Africa, Toru-Orua (UAT), and Bayelsa Medical University (BMU), all under the Port Harcourt Zone, accused the Bayelsa State Government of failing to honour the agreement despite repeated appeals.
The Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Port Harcourt Zone, Comrade Uzoma China, represented by the NDU-ASUU Chairman, Comrade Oyinkepreye Lucky Bebeteidoh, said the union had consistently engaged the government through dialogue and consultations with stakeholders to ensure peaceful implementation of the agreement.
“We made concerted efforts to engage the Bayelsa State Government on a peaceful implementation process without resorting to industrial action. However, it appears the government only responds to academic disruption,” he said.
Bebeteidoh, flanked by BMU-ASUU Chairman, Comrade Sylva Ligeiaziba; UAT-ASUU Chairman, Sunny-Okoro Abeki; and FUO-ASUU Chairman, Comrade Bruno Ikuli, alleged that although discussions with the state government began in January 2026, implementation had been deliberately delayed, creating avoidable tension in the university system.
“States such as Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Benue, Bauchi and Sokoto have commenced implementation, while oil-rich states with greater resources continue to delay,” he said.
He clarified that the consolidated Academic Tools Allowance applies exclusively to university academic staff and not to civil servants or other categories of public employees.
The unions called on Governor Douye Diri, as Visitor to the three universities, to direct the CBA Implementation Monitoring Committee to expedite implementation and avert a preventable industrial crisis.
They also urged the governor to release the white paper on the reports of the visitation panels set up last year for the state’s universities, noting that the panels had since submitted their reports.
