The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has reported a lack of official communication from the government regarding its ongoing strike.
On Monday, JAC of SSANU and NASU commenced an indefinite strike over four months of withheld salaries, which has effectively disrupted university activities nationwide.
In an interview, Abdussobur Salaam, the National Vice-President of SSANU, stated, “There’s no update on the ongoing strike; it continues. While there have been informal contacts between the Minister of State for Education and our union executives, there’s been no real progress—only informal appeals.”
He emphasised that this issue has persisted for a long time, with repeated unfulfilled promises. “All our ultimatums have expired, and we still haven’t received any payments. The recent invitation was merely an informal call on the phone. We urge the authorities to take decisive action; we have come too far and can no longer accept empty promises. If we don’t receive our payments, we won’t back down,” Salaam added.
In a statement released on Sunday by SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, and NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, the unions confirmed that the ultimatum given to the Federal Government over the withheld salaries expired at midnight on Sunday.
The unions are demanding the payment of the four months’ withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.
Previously, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, invoked the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy when the university-based unions embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022.
The unions’ circular gave the Federal Government seven days to address their demands for the outstanding salaries and the implementation of the Memorandum %1lllll)q%qof Understanding signed on 20th August 2022, which expired at midnight on 27th October 2024.
It is noteworthy that during the last National Peacefu 4l Protest by JAC of 04 and SSANU, held on 18th July 2024 at Unity Fountain, Abuja, a 10-day ultimatum was issued to the government to pay the withheld salaries, warning of a shutdown of activities in universities and inter-university centres if no action was taken.