SSANU, NASU Begin Strike, Ground Varsities

Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities launched a statewide walkout against the Federal Government on the grounds of perceived discrimination and inequity in salary distribution, today, on Monday.

Last Monday, the unions threatened to cut off electricity and housing 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.

Ibrahim told The PUNCH on Sunday that 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of today (Monday), all our workers in registry, bursary, works and maintenance, security, and students’ affairs have withdrawn their services and nothing moves within the administration of any public university in Nigeria and that will be the case for the next seven days until and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 president of SSANU emphasized that no official government representative has contacted non-academic unions, although some have done so informally; nonetheless, their promises cannot be trusted.

He questioned why certain public servants would not completely carry out President Bola Tinubu’s directive to settle 2022 arrears.

The Minister of Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, he said, had given the unions a seven-day notice last Monday, but had not been in touch with them.

He said that this was a change from the former labor minister Chris Ngige’s response. [CONTINUE READING HERE]