The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have issued a directive for their members nationwide to commence a seven-day strike beginning Monday, March 18. This decision comes in response to the Nigerian government’s failure to address the issue of unpaid withheld salaries owed to their members, despite earlier warnings and ultimatums from the unions.
The memo, jointly issued by SSANU and NASU’s Joint Action Committee (JAC) and endorsed by their respective leaders, emphasizes the importance of complete adherence to the strike directive by branch leaders. JAC squarely blames the government for the situation, questioning the rationale behind paying withheld salaries to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) while neglecting SSANU and NASU members’ entitlements.
The strike is expected to be comprehensive and total, with no concessions to be granted. The unions stress the mandatory nature of strict compliance with the directive for all SSANU and NASU branches in universities and inter-university centers.
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This latest industrial action adds to the ongoing struggle by university staff for fair treatment and payment of their dues. Previous strikes in 2022 highlighted similar grievances, including promises unfulfilled by the government and inadequate university funding. Despite recent payments to ASUU members, SSANU, NASU, and other affected unions demand equal treatment and prompt resolution of their salary issues, warning of further action if their concerns remain unaddressed.
In 2022, SSANU and NASU, along with other unions, embarked on nationwide strikes in protest against the government’s failure to honor promises and inadequate university funding. Despite their efforts, salaries were withheld under a ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy, sparking widespread discontent among university staff.
The recent announcement by President Bola Tinubu to pay four months’ worth of withheld salaries to ASUU members has raised concerns among SSANU and NASU members about unequal treatment. They argue that all university unions went on strike and deserve fair treatment in salary payments.
While the government recently paid four months’ worth of salaries to academics, non-academic staff, including SSANU and NASU members, were excluded from this payment, further exacerbating tensions.
