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) began an indefinite strike on Monday, citing the Federal Government’s failure to meet their demands for withheld salaries and other benefits.
In a joint statement by SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi, the unions announced that their ultimatum for payment of withheld salaries expired Sunday at midnight.
They demand the payment of four months of withheld salaries, earned allowances, and the implementation of a 2009 agreement with the government.
The unions have protested several times, issued warnings, and held a one-week strike in March, all with no resolution. President Bola Tinubu approved payment of four months’ withheld salaries for academic staff last October, but non-teaching staff were excluded, leading to what the unions call “selective treatment.” In July, they gave another ultimatum but received no response from the government.
Members of NASU and SSANU are responsible for key university services like water, electricity, security, and communications. The strike is expected to impact these services, effectively shutting down activities across federal and state universities.
Efforts to reach the Federal Ministry of Education for a response were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
