Varsities workers protesting last Thursday
By Victory Oghene
Nigerian universities may be shut down as the Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities has vowed to indefinitely shut down all activities in universities across the country from Monday (today) when they embark on an indefinite strike.
A statement made available to newsmen on Sunday and signed by National President, SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, General Secretary, NASU, Prince Peters Adeyemi, said the ultimatum it gave the Federal Government over its withheld salaries expired Sunday midnight.
The unions are demanding, among others, the payment of the four-month withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances and implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.
The Federal Government had through the Ministry of Labour and Employment invoked the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy when the four university-based unions embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022.
Last October, President Bola Tinubu directed the payment of four of the eight months withheld salaries for the academic staff. It was finally paid in February.
The directive was silent about the non-teaching staff, raising concerns as to their fate. The unions also described the directive as selective and kicked against it.
The unions subsequently wrote to the government, gave ultimatums, protested and held warning strikes, but their four-month salaries are still being withheld.
The statement, called on all the state-owned universities to also incorporate their local demands into the strike action as appropriate.
“Your strict compliance and adherence to this directive is mandatory for all NASU and SSANU branches in Federal and State Owned Universities as well as Inter-University Centres,” it read.
It also said, “The last circular of the Joint Action Committee of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities titled, “Latest Development in Respect of the Withheld Four Months’ Salaries” referenced JAC/NS/VOL.III/32 dated 21st October 2024 refers.
“The circular under reference gave seven days to the Federal Government to do the needful in respect of our demands for payment of outstanding four months’ salaries and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sighed with the Federal Government on 20th August, 2022 which expires midnight of Sunday, 27th October, 2024.”
It recall that at the last National Peaceful Protest of JAC of NASU and SSANU held on July 18, 2024 at the Unity Fountain Abuja, an ultimatum of 10 days was given to the Government to pay the withheld salaries to avoid shutting down of activities in the Universities and Inter-University Centres with no consequence.
“It is quite appalling that we have issued several ultimatums thereafter with no positive result from the government, it is therefore obvious that Government is not positively disposed to our rightful and legitimate demands in spite of several interactions, dialogues, exchange of correspondences and assurances of payment all to no avail.
“We have exercised considerable and prolonged patience, allowing multiple deadlines to pass without receiving a satisfactory response to our demands by the Government,”
The statement further stated “This is to direct all our members in the Universities and Inter-University Centres throughout the country to hold a joint congress in their respective campuses on Monday, 28th October, 2024 and proceed on an indefinite, comprehensive and total strike action as no concession should be given in any guise.”
SSANU members are in charge of major facilities on campuses, which has sparked fears of a standstill of activities if the strike begins today.
