SSANU, NASU Begin Strike Today, Ground Varsities
The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have initiated a statewide walkout due to what they deem to be unfair treatment and inequity in the Federal Government's payment of withheld salary.
SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim said on Channels Television's The Morning Brief on Monday that "definitely, it (the strike) has already started."
"As of today (Monday), nothing moves within the administration of any public university in Nigeria; this will remain the situation for the next seven days until and unless the necessary is done. All of our employees in the registry, bursary, works and maintenance, security, and students' affairs have withdrawn their services."
He bemoaned the fact that non-academic unions had not received any communication from government officials, even though several have reached out unofficially, their assurances cannot be taken to the bank.
Ibrahim sensed some “saboteurs in his government” and wondered why President Bola Tinubu would give an instruction that members of varsity unions be paid 2022 arrears and some government officials won’t fully comply.
The SSANU President claimed that although a seven-day warning was given last Monday, Labour Minister Nkiruka Onyejeocha has not contacted the irate unions. He described this as a change from the responsiveness of former Labour Minister Chris Ngige.
Ibrahim stated that SSANU and NASU will consult their toolkit to determine the next course of action if the government did not respond to the unions' requests following the start of the seven-day warning strike today.
Unpaid VCs, Registrars, and Bursars
On Monday, March 11, 2024, SSANU and NASU issued a threat, stating that if the Federal Government does not comply with their requests by today, March 18, 2024, they will close dorms and turn off the electricity in universities nationwide.
The President of SSANU had stated his members including Vice Chancellors, registrars and bursars have not been paid 2022 arrears.
“Shutting down the university is clearly beyond how it will affect the students because it’s everybody; there will be no electricity, there will be no water, there will be no security, there will be no hostels for students, and there will be no administration,” he had stated.
The head of SSANU had chastised the federal government for failing to pay the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) due to salary withholdings while ignoring other unions such as SSANU and NASU.
In 2022, the unions went on an eight-month strike to emphasise a few of their demands, such as an improved welfare package. Following that, the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari implemented a "No Work, No Pay policy" against the unions; nevertheless, Tinubu authorised the release of four of the eight months' worth of salary that had been withheld from ASUU members last October.
Ibrahim had stated that the necessity for the action stemmed from the failure of all communication tools.
He had claimed that SSANU and NASU were being treated unfairly by the Office of the Accountant General, via the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) office The head of SSANU had chastised the federal government for failing to pay the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) due to salary withholdings while ignoring other unions such as SSANU and NASU.
In 2022, the unions went on an eight-month strike to emphasise a few of their demands, such as an improved welfare package. Following that, the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari implemented a "No Work, No Pay policy" against the unions; nevertheless, Tinubu authorised the release of four of the eight months' worth of salary that had been withheld from ASUU members last October.
Ibrahim had stated that the necessity for the action stemmed from the failure of all communication tools.
He had claimed that SSANU and NASU were being treated unfairly by the Office of the Accountant General, via the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) office.
