SSANU: FG Remains Silent Amid University Staff Strike Over Unpaid Salaries
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has announced that its indefinite strike will continue, with no official response from the Federal Government. The unions commenced the strike on Monday to protest the withholding of four months’ salaries, bringing academic and non-academic activities in universities nationwide to a halt.
In an update provided Tuesday night, SSANU National Vice-President Abdussobur Salaam stated, “There’s no update on the ongoing strike; it continues. Some informal contacts were made between the minister of state for education and our union executives, but there’s been no real progress, just an informal appeal. This issue has persisted for a long time, with repeated promises that have not been fulfilled.” Salaam emphasized that the unions will maintain their stance until their demands are met, urging the government to take “decisive action” to resolve the matter.
In a statement released Sunday, SSANU National President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi confirmed that the ultimatum given to the government over the unpaid salaries expired at midnight on Sunday. The unions demand the payment of the withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and implementation of the 2009 agreement between the unions and the government.
The ongoing dispute follows the Federal Government’s implementation of a ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy, which was imposed when NASU, SSANU, and other university-based unions embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022. The unions issued a circular with a seven-day ultimatum for the payment of outstanding salaries and implementation of the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the government. This ultimatum expired on October 27, 2024, without government action.
The unions’ recent strike action builds on a series of protests, including a peaceful demonstration held on July 18, 2024, at Unity Fountain in Abuja, where a 10-day ultimatum was issued for the government to address their grievances. Despite this, no substantial progress has been made. The JAC insists that it will continue to press for its demands, reiterating that members will not resume work until their grievances are addressed.
