The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) alongside the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have announced a seven-day cautionary strike starting from Monday, March 18, 2024.
This action comes as a response to the federal government’s neglect in settling four months of outstanding salaries.
This resolution was made public following the conclusion of SSANU’s 47th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which took place in Akure over the past weekend.
Addressing the press in Abuja, SSANU’s president, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, disclosed that despite promises and a directive from the presidency ensuring that all university unions would be compensated for their unpaid salaries, both SSANU and NASU have been omitted from these payments.
According to the unions, this omission constitutes a violation of the agreement made after the strike and is seen as discriminatory against their members.
The unions have voiced their discontent with the government’s inaction and cautioned that if their grievances are not addressed promptly, it could escalate to a total closure of university campuses across the country.
They have also issued a warning that they will cease their services if the government fails to clear the backlog of their salaries within the next week.
Moreover, the unions are insisting on the execution of the previously consented salary increments of 25 percent and 35 percent, which have been delayed for more than half a year.
They are also calling for the disbursement of accrued allowances to their members to prevent any potential unrest within the academic sector.
Following the passing of Prof Nimi Briggs, the chairperson of the government’s negotiation team, the NEC has urged for immediate attention to the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/SSANU Agreement.
SSANU has expressed its readiness to begin the negotiation process and is waiting for an invitation from the government.
Regarding national security, SSANU has raised alarms about the worsening conditions and has appealed to the government to provide sufficient funding to security agencies and to implement transparent hiring practices to strengthen their forces.
Additionally, SSANU has called for immediate economic measures, advocating for effective policies to stimulate growth and reduce inflation and unemployment.
Lastly, they have requested the swift re-establishment of the governing bodies for both federal and state universities to guarantee efficient management and maintain autonomy.
The communique reads in part, “The National Executive Council (NEC) in session seriously frowns at the latest action of government which excluded SSANU and other non-teaching university based unions from the payment of the four months withheld salaries arising from the nationwide strike action embarked upon by all unions in our public universities. While SSANU is not averse to the payment of the withheld salary to our sister union ASUU, it however views this action as a clear violation and breach of the post-strike agreement with government on non-victimisation of our members who participated in the strike.
“We strongly oppose this discriminatory practice which we view as the government’s open invitation to industrial crisis. NEC in session therefore calls on the relevant authorities of government to immediately implement the directive of Mr. President by paying our members the four months withheld salaries, failing which NEC has approved a one-week warning strike in conjunction with our sister union in JAC, NASU.”
