Nigerian university lecturers launch nationwide strike

Lecturers in public universities across Nigeria began a seven-day warning strike on Wednesday over the government's allegedly "unfulfilled promises."

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the umbrella body of the country's university teachers, said the industrial action was necessary to remind the government of the implementation of a number of agreements it had reached with the union since 2009.

The agreements bordered mostly on welfare packages for university lecturers.

Biodun Ogunyemi, national president of the union, said the chronic under-funding of Nigeria's educational sector through low budgetary allocation was another reason for the action.

"There shall be no teaching, no examination and no attendance of statutory meetings of any kind in any of our branches while the strike lasts," said the union leader, adding machinery was already in place to ensure total compliance.

The Nigerian Senate had waded into the matter during its plenary on Tuesday but failed in its desire to urge the government to do the bidding of the academic union members.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has described the industrial action as "unconstitutional".

In a statement, Minister of Labor and Employment Chris Ngige said the union was yet to exhaust the conflict resolution mechanisms clearly mapped out in the country's labor laws.

The lecturers' union said it would open its room for further negotiation with the government during the warning strike. Endit