The Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has announced an indefinite strike starting today, intending to shut down all university activities nationwide. In a statement issued on Sunday, SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi explained that their ultimatum to the Federal Government expired at midnight on Sunday.
The unions are demanding the release of four months' withheld salaries, improved pay, earned allowances, and enforcement of the 2009 agreements. The government had previously invoked a "No Work, No Pay" policy during the extended 2022 strike by university unions, later partially releasing withheld salaries to academic staff in February following President Bola Tinubu's directive. However, this excluded non-teaching staff, prompting discontent within NASU and SSANU.
Despite ultimatums, protests, and a one-week warning strike in March, the withheld salaries remain unpaid. The unions have now called for full participation from state-owned university branches, citing poor government response to multiple requests. The unions expressed disappointment, stating that the government had failed to meet their legitimate demands despite several negotiations and assurances.
SSANU members, who oversee campus operations like water, electricity, and security, emphasized that they would call off the strike only if their salaries are paid today. As President Tinubu’s new education minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, takes office this week, it remains uncertain whether a resolution will be reached.Bottom of Form
