SSANU and NASU Issue Three-Week Ultimatum Over Unpaid Salaries

The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has threatened to initiate an indefinite strike if the federal government does not address their outstanding salaries within the next three weeks.

Unions are demanding the payment of four months’ withheld salaries, along with improved remuneration, earned allowances, and the fulfillment of the 2009 agreements with the government.

The federal government previously invoked a “No Work, No Pay” policy during a prolonged strike involving multiple university-based unions in 2022, causing significant concern among staff members.

In a statement issued by SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi, the unions emphasized that a 10-day grace period had been given to the government, which expired on July 26, 2024, to pay the outstanding salaries. However, six weeks have passed without resolution.

ALSO READ: NANS Condemns UI Tuition Hike, Calls for Federal Government Intervention

“The government is hereby given a final three-week ultimatum, starting from Tuesday, September 17, 2024, to pay the four months’ withheld salaries and implement the agreement reached on August 20, 2022. Should the government fail to meet these demands, our members may be forced to embark on indefinite strike action at the expiration of the ultimatum,” Ibrahim stated.

The statement also highlighted that during the National Minimum Wage meeting, President Bola Tinubu had approved the payment of the withheld salaries on July 18, 2024, after discussions with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).