By Abiola Olawale
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have begun a nationwide strike, creating fresh concerns for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The two unions had cried out over what they described as an unfair treatment, and a visible disparity in the payment of withheld salaries by the Federal Government.
SSANU and NASU had already embarked on a seven-day notice strike to press home their demand for the payment of the withheld salaries of their members by the Federal Government after the 2022 nationwide strike.
The New Diplomat reports that SSANU and NASU. on February 13, 2024, wrote protest letters to the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman over the exclusion of the non-teaching staff, making a case for 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.
However, following the expiration of the ultimatum issued to the Federal Government, the unions have commenced their strike action. Speaking with the members of the press, SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim said the strike has already commenced across universities in the country.
He noted that all the workers in the registry, bursary, security, and student affairs departments have withdrawn their services until the Federal Government meets their demands.
His words: “Definitely, it (the strike) has already started. As at today (Monday), all our workers in registry, bursary, works and maintenance, security, and students’ affairs have withdrawn their services and nothing moves within the administration of any public university in Nigeria and that will be the case for the next seven days until and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.”
He 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.
Ibrahim sensed some “saboteurs in his government” and wondered why President 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 the fact that a seven-day notice was issued last Monday, a development he said was a departure from the responsiveness of the ex-Labour Minister, Dr Chris Ngige.
