Today, on Monday, members of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) began a nationwide walkout against the Federal Government on the grounds of perceived discrimination and inequity in salary distribution.
Last Monday, the unions threatened to cut off electricity and hostels in college campuses nationwide if the federal government did not accede to their demands by today, March 18, 2024.
The Vice Chancellors, Registrars, and Bursars among the members of SSANU, according to National President Muhammad Ibrahim, have not received their 2022 arrears.
The two unions were preparing to go on strike across the country.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman stated that he was unaware of SSANU/NASU’s planned strike.
However, during the Channels Television’s Morning Show programme, Ibrahim declared that the strike had started.
“Definitely, it (the strike) has already started.
“As of today (Monday), all our workers in registry, bursary, works and maintenance, security, and students’ affairs have withdrawn their services and nothing moves within the administration of any public university in Nigeria and that will be the case for the next seven days until and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 stated.
The SSANU president stressed that no government representative has reached out to the non-academic unions, noting that though some have reached out unofficially, their assurances cannot be taken to the bank.
He wondered why some government officials would not fully comply with President Bola Tinubu’s instruction to pay 2022 arrears.
He added that the Minister of Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, has not reached out to the aggrieved unions despite issuing a seven-day notice last Monday.
This, he said was a departure from the responsiveness of the ex-Labour Minister Chris Ngige.
He stressed that the unions would go back to their toolbox and decide the next line of action should the government fail to heed the unions’ demands after the seven-day warning strike, which commenced today.