In a bid to demand the payment of four months of withheld salaries dating back to the 2022 nationwide strike, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have jointly declared a 7-day warning strike. The decision was reached after a meeting of the joint action committee held in Akure over the weekend.
According to Mohammed Ibrahim, the president of SSANU, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Monday, the strike action was deemed necessary as a last resort following numerous attempts through protest letters and communications with the Federal Government, which yielded no positive response regarding the payment of the withheld salaries.
The unions allege abandonment by the Federal Government, stating that despite directives from President Bola Tinubu for the payment of the withheld salaries for university workers due to their strike action in 2022, they are yet to receive their dues. This failure to honor payment commitments has led to growing discontent among the unions.
During an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics program, Mohammed Ibrahim expressed the unions’ frustration, highlighting the essential role played by non-teaching staff in the functioning of universities. He emphasized the necessity for their salaries to be paid, stating that failure to do so undermines the stability of the education system.
In a joint statement, SSANU and NASU noted that they have exhausted all avenues to maintain industrial peace and tranquility but are left with no choice but to resort to a warning strike. They emphasized the importance of their members’ contributions to the smooth operation of universities and stressed that failure to address their grievances could lead to further disruptions.
