Workers’ unions across Lagos State-owned universities have given the Lagos State Government a seven-day ultimatum to address their outstanding demands or face an indefinite strike.

The unions also called on the state government to immediately implement the Federal Government’s agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), which they said took effect from January 1, 2026.

They further demanded the release of funds for the payment of the N50,000 palliative promised to staff on May 1, 2026, warning that failure to meet their demands within the stipulated period would trigger an indefinite industrial action.

The ultimatum was announced on Monday at a joint press conference organised by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Lagos State-owned universities at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo campus.

The briefing was attended by representatives of ASUU, the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), SSANU and NAAT, who urged the government to take urgent steps to avert a disruption of academic activities across the state-owned institutions.

The affected Institutions are Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) and Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM).

Speaking on behalf of the unions, Chairman of ASUU-LASU, Prof. Ibrahim Bakare, said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had announced on May 1, 2026, that all Lagos State workers would receive a N50,000 palliative, adding that the official communication from government indicated that tertiary institutions were included in the arrangement.

According to him, while workers in the Lagos State Civil Service received the payment, staff of the state-owned universities were excluded despite repeated engagements with university management and government officials.

Bakare said the unions had written to and held consultations with the offices of the governor, deputy governor, commissioners for Tertiary Education and Establishments and Training, the Head of Service, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, the Accountant-General and relevant permanent secretaries in an effort to resolve the matter.

He, however, expressed disappointment over what he described as an unsatisfactory response from the government, noting that a letter received by the unions was vague and failed to provide a clear commitment towards implementing the governor’s promise.

“We explored every peaceful and reasonable avenue available to us because we believe in dialogue. Unfortunately, our members have become exhausted and can no longer continue to wait while other categories of public servants have received the payment,” he said.

Bakare disclosed that after consultations across the affected institutions, the unions resolved to issue a seven-day ultimatum to enable the government process the necessary approvals and release the funds.

He warned that failure to meet the demand before the expiration of the ultimatum would compel the unions to determine their next line of action, including embarking on industrial action.

“We pray industrial action does not happen, but if we are pushed to that point, we will have no other option. We cannot continue to allow our members to suffer under the current economic realities,” he said.

Bakare said Lagos had accumulated seven months of outstanding liabilities under the Federal Government agreements, despite assurances previously given by the Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat that future federal agreements would be implemented promptly to avoid a backlog of arrears.

He noted that several state-owned universities in Ekiti and Osun states had already implemented the agreements, describing Lagos State’s delay as surprising for a state regarded as one of the country’s most developed.

The unions also renewed calls for the fulfilment of other welfare commitments, including the release of staff buses promised by Sanwo-Olu and the resolution of the outstanding 20 per cent salary-related issue discussed during previous negotiations with the government.

Also speaking, Chairman of NASU-LASU, Comrade Obafemi Sanni, said the unions were forced to issue the ultimatum because of what he described as the government’s lackadaisical attitude towards implementing agreements affecting workers in tertiary institutions.

He maintained that If the government failed to act before the ultimatum expires, the unions would have no alternative but to embark on an indefinite industrial action.

The unions said they remain committed to dialogue but insisted that the welfare of workers must receive urgent attention to sustain industrial harmony across Lagos State-owned universities. Union representatives from other universities appealed to the state to accede to their demands,noting that many of their members were dying. (The Nation)

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