Governor Hope Uzodimma
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Imo State University (IMSU) is pleading with Governor Hope Uzodimma to step in and stop the ongoing indefinite strike that has shut down the school. In simple terms, lecturers have stopped teaching because the state government and university leaders have not kept promises about better pay and working conditions that were agreed with the federal government last year.
The trouble started after ASUU and the Federal Government signed a big agreement on December 23, 2025. It was supposed to start working from January 1, 2026. The deal includes higher salaries, better welfare packages, and other improvements for university teachers. Many state universities in places like Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, and Sokoto have already started using it. But at IMSU, nothing has changed even after many months.
Lecturers at IMSU say they are tired of waiting. They point to old problems that make life hard for them: promotion arrears that go back as far as 2016 have not been paid, some staff have gone months without full salaries, the university is stuck in the government’s Treasury Single Account which limits its freedom to manage its own money, and there has been almost no new staff hiring since 2015. They also talk about unpaid earned academic allowances that date back many years. After talking with school management many times and giving a 21-day warning that expired without results, the IMSU branch of ASUU declared a total and indefinite strike on August 10, 2026. Classes, exams, and all academic work stopped.
ASUU leaders, including the branch chairman, have made it clear they will not return to work until the full 2025 agreement is put into action at IMSU. They have asked traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents, students, and other groups to help pressure the governor, who is the official visitor to the university. The union says it prefers talking and peaceful solutions, but the long delay is only making the situation worse for everyone.
This strike hurts students the most. Many young people who should be learning and preparing for their future are stuck at home with nothing to do. Parents who pay fees are also frustrated. Teachers themselves feel undervalued while watching colleagues in other states enjoy the new benefits. The Owerri zone of ASUU, which covers several universities in the South-East, has raised similar concerns before and warned that ignoring staff welfare can drive good lecturers away from the region.
Governor Uzodimma is being asked to act fast by ordering the university to implement the agreement and clear the backlog of unpaid benefits. Quick action could reopen the school, restore calm, and show that Imo State cares about quality higher education. Without it, the shutdown may drag on and damage the future of many students.