By Abiola Olawale
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) have announced plans to embark on a nationwide protest on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.
The two unions have directed their members across the country to mobilise for a nationwide protest following the breakdown of negotiations on demand for the payment of withheld salaries.
This was contained in a circular directed to all branch chairmen of the two unions and made available to the media in Abuja on Sunday.
The unions announced that the protest will commence on 9th July 2024, across the state chapters of the federation, and a national protest in Abuja on 18th July.
The circular was jointly signed by the General Secretary of NASU and National President of SSANU, Prince Peters Adeyemi, and Comrade Mohammed H. Ibrahim, respectively.
The circular reads in part: “The National body of the Joint Action Committee (JAC)of NASU and SSANU met on Thursday, 4th July 2024 to appraise and take a position on the current situation in respect of the withheld (4) four months’ salaries and other grievances of our members in University and Inter-University Centres.
“Similarly, the National JAC on invitation met with the Honourable Minister of Education; Honourable Minister of State for Education; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education; other top officials of the Ministry and National Universities Commission (NUC).
“Unfortunately, the engagement with the Minister of Education has not shown any convincingcommitmento ent the payment of the withheld salaries and resolutions of other pending grievances of JAC of the two unions.
“It is also disheartening that the JAC was also at the Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment and as usual, the Honourable Minister of State was not on seat to receive us, as we were informed that she had an urgent call from the villa.
“The Permanent Secretary who stood in for her could not make any commitment on the issues IGiventhis disappointment and failure of the Government to address the rievancesgrievancesand SSANU, JAC has decided on a series of Industrial actions which include the following; All branches of NASU and SSANU should mandatorily hold a general meeting on Monday, 8th July 2024 to sensitize members on the insensitivity of Government to our plights.
“A ONE-DAY protest should be held on Tuesday, 9th July 2024 at each branch simultaneously. Every branch should ensure that all members fully participate in the protest and that the Press/ media is adequately mobilized.
“A NATIONAL PROTEST will be held in Abuja on Thursday, 18th July 2024 after which JAC will meet to announce a date when the strike action will commence. Further information will be communicated appropriately. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation in this regard.”
The New Diplomat reports that the two unions had cried out over what they described as unfair treatment and disparity in the payment of withheld salaries by the Federal Government.
SSANU and NASU had already embarked on a nationwide strike in March to press home their demand for the payment of the withheld salaries of their members by the Federal Government after the 2022 nationwide strike.
It would be recalled also that SSANU and NASU on February 13, 2024, wrote protest letters to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman over the exclusion of the non-teaching staff from the payment of outstanding four months’ salaries.
SSANU queried the Nigerian government for paying the withheld salaries of members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) leaving out the non-academic staff.
