ASUU Strike: BSU Students voice opinions

In a move that has sparked widespread concern among students when the Academic Staff Union of the Universities, Benue State University Branch (ASUU-BSU), which announced the resumption of a total and comprehensive strike action effective from Thursday, February 1st, 2024.

The decision, communicated through a press release on, highlights the failure of the Benue State University (BSU) administration and the government to address long standing welfare concerns of academic staff which includes; the non-implementation and non-payment of accrued arrears of 2021, 2022, and 2023 promotions; non-payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA); non-payment of Sundry allowances (PG, GST, EPS, SANDWICH etc).

Others are the non-implementation and non-payment of accrued arrears of annual incremental step and April 2023 salary arrears; shortfall in the salaries of staff of the College of Health Sciences as well as Non enrolment/implementation of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHTS) amongst other issues.

However, the ramifications of this decision seem to have extended beyond the academic staff to the student body and their families, who now find themselves, thrust into a state of uncertainty regarding the continuity of their education.

With lectures suspended indefinitely, students are left grappling with the prospect of disrupted academic calendars, delayed graduations, and prolonged academic uncertainty.

In our interview and discussions with various students across different departments and faculties, some students have expressed serious worries and dissatisfactions with the ongoing strike;

Faith, a 200 Level student from the department of chemistry spoke, “despite being my second year in school, age isn’t on my side and I wish I could leave my department and school for somewhere better.”

From the department of Psychology, Comfort, a 400 Level student asserted, “It is frustrating. We’ve been stuck in the middle of this constant back-and-forth between the government, the university and ASUU for 4 years now, and we’re the ones who suffer the most. We’re missing out on classes, exams, and opportunities outside of school because of this strikes and itsbad for us and our families.”

“Some of us rely on scholarships or financial aid that’s tied to our academic performance and progress, so missing classes and exams can have serious consequences for our funding. Plus, the uncertainty is really stressful; I wish something could be done urgently,” Albert, a final year student in the department of computer science stated.

Another student who wishes to remain anonymous when asked,if she feels her voice as a student is being heard in this dispute? “She stated as a 300 Level student, not really. It feels like we’re just pawns in this larger game between ASUU and the government. Our concerns and frustrations don’t seem to matter to either side,”

Another 400 level student from the department of philosophy on how has the strike impacted his mental health, he stated, “the stress of falling behind in our studies from our mates in other schools, coupled with the uncertainty of when the strike will end, has left a lot of us feeling anxious and overwhelmed,” as he wishes to remain anonymous.

A 500 level student from the faculty of law, on how the ASUU strike reflects on the state of higher education in Nigeria, he responded, “It is a clear sign that there are serious issues that need to be addressed from the letter released by ASUU-BSU. The fact that this is a recurring problem speaks volumes about the systemic problems within our educational system.”

However, with what is seen, there is no immediate resolution in sight, the plight of Benue State University student remainsunresolved, underscoring the urgent need for swift and decisive action to mitigate the impact of the ongoing strike.