Nigeria: SSANU and NASU to Commence Nationwide Strike Over Withheld Salaries
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
In a bid to protest the withholding of their four months’ salary, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU) have announced a nationwide strike set to begin today.
According to Muhammed Ibrahim, the National President of SSANU, both unions are prepared for the strike action. However, the Minister for Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, claims to be unaware of the planned strike. In response to inquiries, Mamman stated that he would reach out to the relevant authorities for clarification.
The Federal Government had previously withheld the salaries of university workers as a result of a prolonged strike in 2021. While the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) received their withheld salaries in February, SSANU and NASU were excluded.
In several letters, the two unions demanded the release of their withheld salaries and issued an ultimatum to the government, threatening a nationwide strike if their demands were not met.
Speaking on the matter, Ibrahim emphasized that the Federal Government had been notified about the need to pay the withheld salaries to SSANU and NASU members in federal universities and inter-university centres. The unions called for a resolution of the issue to prevent any disruption in the university sector.
Abdussobur Salaam, the SSANU National Vice-President, expressed disappointment at the government’s lack of response. He highlighted the absence of any offers or negotiations regarding the payment of the withheld salaries.
With the expiration of the ultimatum without a positive response from the government, SSANU and NASU have directed their members in universities and inter-university centres nationwide to embark on a seven-day warning strike, starting from Monday, 18th March 2024.
This strike action by SSANU and NASU underscores the ongoing challenges faced by university workers in Nigeria and their efforts to ensure fair treatment and the timely payment of their salaries.
