Academic activities are set to resume at the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) following the suspension of the nearly two-month-old strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNICROSS branch, after the intervention of Governor Bassey Otu.

The union had commenced an indefinite strike on May 19, 2026, grounding academic activities and leaving thousands of students stranded across the institution.

The suspension, announced after a series of engagements between the state government and ASUU leadership, marks a major breakthrough in efforts to resolve the lingering industrial dispute that had threatened the stability of the university’s academic calendar.

The union had embarked on the industrial action over 11 demands bordering on staff welfare, salary arrears, and the non-implementation of agreements reached between ASUU and the Federal Government.

Among the union’s key demands were the implementation of the salary structure and welfare provisions contained in the 2025 FG-ASUU renegotiated agreement, including the Continuous Academic Training Allowance, Earned Academic Allowance, and other professional allowances.

The lecturers also demanded increased government funding for the university, prompt payment of monthly salaries not later than the third day of every succeeding month, and the payment of arrears arising from the 35 per cent and 25 per cent wage awards dating back to January 2023.

Other outstanding issues included unpaid promotion arrears and earned academic allowances dating back to 2011, remittance of N11.9 million in check-off dues owed since 2017, N69 million in cooperative deductions, and unpaid National Housing Fund deductions withheld since 2018.

At the height of the crisis, ASUU Chairman, Dr. Patrick Ushie, accused the university management of failing to address the union’s concerns, citing inadequate funding as a major challenge.

According to him, the management had disclosed that it received N300 million as monthly subvention from the state government and required an additional N200 million to meet the union’s demands.

As the strike entered its 45th day, the Cross River State Government intensified efforts to broker peace between the university management and ASUU.

The union submitted detailed documentation of its grievances to a government technical committee set up to examine the issues in contention.

Governor Otu subsequently constituted a seven-member Technical Committee, chaired by Prof. Uduak Effiong, to conduct a comprehensive review of the university’s working environment, staff welfare, and governance structure.

On July 14, the governor met with the university management and leaders of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), where he assured stakeholders of his administration’s commitment to improving infrastructure and sustaining dialogue with all parties.

During the meeting, Otu approved the request by the Vice Chancellor for additional operational vehicles and promised to equip the university’s medical centre and address concerns over the institution’s road network.

The UNICROSS crisis had also drawn the attention of the ASUU Calabar Zone, which threatened to embark on a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike across state-owned universities in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Cross River states over the failure of state governments to implement the 2025 FG-ASUU agreement.

The zonal coordinator, Comrade Ikechukwu Igwenyi, described the situation at UNICROSS as “particularly alarming,” alleging that academic staff had been receiving half salaries for years and lamenting the reported death of a lecturer amid the prolonged welfare crisis.

“Our members in UNICROSS are already in the trenches, not just over the non-implementation of the 2025 Agreement, but also over the non-payment of full salaries for years,” Igwenyi had said.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Student Affairs, Joseph Kelvin-Enyam, confirmed the suspension of the strike and expressed appreciation to Governor Otu for honouring his commitment to resolving the impasse.

He also commended the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Emmanuel Ironbar, the Special Adviser on General Duties, Barr. Ekpenyong Akiba, the UNICROSS Vice Chancellor, ASUU leadership, and the SUG for their contributions to the resolution of the crisis.

With the strike now suspended, lecturers are expected to return to the classrooms, bringing relief to thousands of students whose academic pursuits had been disrupted for nearly two months.