The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Owerri Zone, has raised concerns over what it described as the deteriorating condition of Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, amid an ongoing strike by academic staff.
The union alleged that the university’s academic workforce has dropped by about half over the past decade, with no recruitment exercise conducted since 2014.
In a statement signed by the ASUU Owerri Zonal Coordinator, Dennis Aribodor, the union said the number of academic staff at IMSU had fallen from more than 1,000 to about 500 due to retirement, migration and death.
ASUU also alleged that the university employs more than 50 casual workers as lecturers, some of whom it claimed receive about N50,000 monthly.
The union warned that the shortage of academic staff and reliance on casual workers were creating serious challenges for the institution and affecting its ability to effectively deliver academic programmes.
The concerns come amid an ongoing industrial dispute between ASUU and the university authorities. IMSU lecturers have been on strike for 37 days, with the union demanding the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, which took effect in January 2026.
ASUU also raised concerns over the conduct of examinations at the university during the strike, with the union questioning whether examinations held while lecturers remained on industrial action could be recognised.
The union appealed to Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who is the Visitor to the university, to urgently intervene in the crisis.
ASUU called on the governor to convene a meeting involving the university management, Governing Council and union representatives to examine the issues affecting the institution and find lasting solutions.
The union also urged the state government to ensure the implementation of the 2025 agreement and take measures to address the declining academic workforce.
The latest development follows the declaration of a total and indefinite strike by the IMSU chapter of ASUU in August over alleged unpaid salaries, promotion arrears, Earned Academic Allowance and other outstanding welfare issues.
As of the latest reports, the university’s management and the Imo State Government had not publicly addressed all of the allegations contained in ASUU’s latest statement.
