The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has announced plans to begin a university shutdown on Thursday, July 4 due to the federal government’s failure to pay four months of withheld salaries.
The Unions revealed that the strike was declared in response to the Federal Government’s failure to pay the withheld salaries despite the promises that were made.
The union criticized the government for preferential treatment.
Recall that about two weeks ago, the Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government demanding the payment of these salaries.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) received their payments during the strike in 2022 while the other three university-based unions were left unpaid. The Unions criticized the government for preferential treatment.
During SSANU’s 48th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Benin last on Saturday, June 30, the union threatened to withdraw its services if the salaries remain unpaid by the end of the ultimatum on July 4.
SSANU, in a communique signed by President Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, criticized the government for what it termed as unprecedented insensitivity and efforts to create discord within universities through preferential treatment of certain unions.
Recall that in 2022, SSANU and other unions were forced by the government to strike due to the refusal to honor a Collective Bargaining Agreement that all parties had willingly signed.
After the strike, the then-Buhari administration signed a comprehensive agreement which included a non-victimization clause. However, the government selectively paid withheld salaries.
While SSANU acknowledges the payments made to other unions, they expected equal treatment for SSANU and NASU, who followed all procedures before embarking on the strike, The Nation reported.
Despite promises by Ministers of Education and Labour, as well as the House of Representatives, to pay these arrears, the government has continued to delay, even after SSANU suspended a one-week warning strike in March this year.
The communique partly reads:
“Despite all promises and media hypes by the Ministers of Education and Labour, including the House of Representatives to pay these arrears, Government has continued to dribble SSANU, even after the mutual agreement to suspend the one week warning strike in March this year.”
Following deliberations, SSANU’s NEC unanimously approved a prolonged industrial action pending the outcome of the Joint Action Committee meeting with NASU scheduled for July 4, 2024, if the government fails to settle the four-month salary arrears.
