SSANU, NASU Begin Indefinite Nationwide Strike Over Withheld Salaries

Members of SSANU and NASU have launched an indefinite nationwide strike, demanding the release of withheld salaries. The strike is expected to affect university operations across Nigeria.

Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have initiated an indefinite nationwide strike across public university campuses, demanding the immediate payment of their withheld salaries for four months.

In a statement released on Sunday and co-signed by SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Peters Adeyemi, the two unions expressed their dismay that despite issuing multiple ultimatums to the government, no positive outcomes have been achieved.

The two unions instructed their members at all public universities and inter-university centres nationwide to “conduct a joint meeting on their respective campuses on Monday, October 28, 2024. Following this congress, they are to commence an indefinite, comprehensive strike with no concessions allowed under any circumstances.”

On September 17, 2023, the Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU issued a three-week ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding payment of their members’ outstanding withheld salaries or facing potential industrial action.

Prior to this, the two unions had organized numerous protests and warning strikes in response to their salaries being withheld for eight months by the Federal Government. During these warning strikes, all administrative activities came to a halt at public universities across Nigeria. Hostels and university gates were closed, and electricity was cut off by discontented non-academic staff.

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The two unions criticized the Federal Government for paying withheld salaries to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) but overlooking the non-academic unions.

In 2022, all the unions initiated an eight-month strike to push for various demands, including improved welfare benefits. In response, then-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration enforced a ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy against them. However, in October last year, President Bola Tinubu approved the payment of previously withheld salaries to ASUU members.

SSANU and NASU have accused the Federal Government of treating them unfairly and discriminating against them by not paying their full eight months’ salaries, unlike what was done for their academic counterparts.

In April, then-Education Minister Tahir Mamman attributed the incomplete payment to SSANU and NASU members to a “communication problem,” while maintaining that there was no discrimination involved.