The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have resolved to commence a nationwide strike on Monday 18th March.
The industrial action is poised to last for one week as a warning over unpaid withheld salaries of members.
This was contained in a memo issued by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of both SSANU and NASU, signed by the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, and the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, and addressed to their members.
Recall President Tinubu had ordered the payment of salaries of Academic staff after an initial “no work , no pay” directive during a previous industrial action. SSANU and NASU however felt the order should have included their members who had also gone on strike action.
The JAC blamed the Nigerian government for escalating the matter by excluding them from the President’s order for payment of withheld salaries.
The memo reads:
“The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU has inundated the Federal Government with the need to pay the withheld four months’ salaries of our members in the federal universities and inter-university centres as done for our academic counterparts to no avail.
“As a matter of fact, the attention of Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, and Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, OON, the Honourable Minister of Education, were called to this injustice and unfair treatment of our members in our letter referenced JAC/NS/VOL.II/277 dated 13th February, 2024 and to also inform them to resolve the issue positively before it leads to unnecessary upheaval in our university sector.
“In a similar vein, a press release was issued on 1st March 2024 and the Federal Government was given a seven-day ultimatum to do the needful in respect of the payment of the withheld 4 months’ salaries but nothing was done on same.”
“this is to direct our members in the universities and inter-university centres throughout the country to commence a 7-day warning strike effective Monday, 18th March 2024 in the first instance.”
“Please note that the 7-day warning strike should be comprehensive and total as no concession should be given in any guise.
“Your strict compliance and adherence to this directive is mandatory for all NASU and SSANU branches in the Universities and Inter-University Centres.”
As a result of the strike, learning institutions are likely to face issues concerning light, water, and administration of libraries, bursary, registry and others.
