Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have started a nationwide strike citing alleged unfair treatment and salary discrepancies by the Federal Government as their primary grievances.
SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, declared this on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Monday, March 18, noting that “Definitely, it (the strike) has already started,”
Ibrahim lamented that no government representative has reached out to the non-academic unions and though some have reached out unofficially, their assurances cannot be taken to the bank.
He said, “As at today (Monday), all our workers in registry, bursary, works and maintenance, security, students’ affairs have withdrawn their services and nothing moves within the administration of any public university in Nigeria and that will be the case for the next seven days until and unless the needful is done.”
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 said the Labour Minister Nkiruka Onyejeocha has not reached out to the aggrieved unions despite that a seven-day notice was issued last Monday, a development he said was a departure to the responsiveness of the ex-Labour Minister Chris Ngige.
Ibrahim said should the government fail to heed the demands of the unions after the seven-day warning strike which commenced today, SSANU and NASU would go back to their toolbox and decide the next line of action.
Recall that, on Monday, March 11, 2024, SSANU and NASU threatened to shut down hostels and power supply in universities across the country if the Federal Government fails to meet its demands before today, March 18, 2024.
The SSANU President had said 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.
