The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council (JCC), Cross River State Chapter, has expressed concern over the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) branch, and issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Cross River State Government to resolve the crisis.
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In a statement signed by the Chairman of NANS JCC Cross River State, Victor Antigha Asuquo, on June 10, 2026, the student body described the strike, which began on May 19, 2026, as a major setback to the academic progress of thousands of students across the state.
According to NANS, the lecturers are not demanding charity but are seeking the payment of legitimate entitlements owed to them by the state government. The association listed the unresolved issues to include outstanding salaries and arrears, welfare levy deductions, check-off dues, cooperative deductions, promotion arrears, and earned academic allowances dating back to July 2011.
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The student body noted that the prolonged neglect of these obligations has adversely affected both staff and students of the institution, stressing that over 25,000 students are currently bearing the consequences through disrupted academic activities, financial strain on families, and uncertainty about their future.
NANS therefore called on the Cross River State Government, as the proprietor of the institution, to immediately settle all outstanding financial obligations owed to UNICROSS staff to facilitate the resumption of academic activities.
The association also urged Governor Bassey Otu to personally intervene in the matter and direct relevant education sector administrators to treat the crisis with urgency. It further appealed to the management of UNICROSS to strengthen engagement with ASUU leadership and maintain transparent communication with students regarding efforts being made to resolve the dispute.
Additionally, NANS called on the Cross River State House of Assembly to exercise its oversight responsibilities by compelling the executive arm of government to prioritize funding for education and address the concerns raised by the striking lecturers.
The student body warned that it has issued a 10-day ultimatum, effective June 10, 2026, for the government to begin taking concrete and verifiable steps toward resolving the crisis. It stated that failure to respond meaningfully within the stipulated period would leave students with no option but to embark on mass action under the leadership of NANS.
“We will act because the future of Cross River cannot wait,” the statement concluded.
Copies of the statement were forwarded to Governor Bassey Otu, the Commissioner for Education, the Vice Chancellor of UNICROSS, the National President of NANS, the leadership of the Students’ Union Government, and other relevant stakeholders.
