NASU, SSANU ABU Branch Shut Down All Activities As The Nationwide Indefinite Strike Begin
BY SANI ALIYU, Zaria
The Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) Ahmadu Bello University Zaria have shut down all activities in university from Monday (today) as they embarked on an indefinite strike.
Speaking at an emergency meeting held at Mamman Kontagora Square at the University's main campus in Samaru Comrade Muhammad A. Yunusa Chairman of SSANU and Comrade Mohammed Sanusi Garba Chairman of NASU said the directives for the nationwide indefinite strike is by the National President, SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, General Secretary, NASU, Prince Peters Adeyemi, said the ultimatum it gave the Federal Government over its withheld salaries expired Sunday midnight.
The unions are demanding, among others, the payment of the four-month withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances and implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.
The Federal Government had through the Ministry of Labour and Employment invoked the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy when the four university-based unions embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022.
Last October, President Bola Tinubu directed the payment of four of the eight months withheld salaries for the academic staff. It was finally paid in February.
The directive was silent about the non-teaching staff, raising concerns as to their fate. The unions also described the directive as selective and kicked against
The unions subsequently wrote to the government, gave ultimatums, protested and held warning strikes, but their four-month salaries are still being withheld.
“Your strict compliance and adherence to this directive is mandatory for all NASU and SSANU branch".
It also said, “The last circular of the Joint Action Committee of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities titled, “Latest Development in Respect of the Withheld Four Months’ Salaries” referenced JAC/NS/VOL.III/32 dated 21st October 2024 refers.
“The circular under reference gave seven days to the Federal Government to do the needful in respect of our demands for payment of outstanding four months’ salaries and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sighed with the Federal Government on 20th August, 2022 which expires midnight of Sunday, 27th October, 2024.”
It recall that at the last National Peaceful Protest of JAC of NASU and SSANU held on July 18, 2024 at the Unity Fountain Abuja, an ultimatum of 10 days was given to the Government to pay the withheld salaries to avoid shutting down of activities in the Universities and Inter-University Centres with no consequence.
“It is quite appalling that we have issued several ultimatums thereafter with no positive result from the government, it is therefore obvious that Government is not positively disposed to our rightful and legitimate demands in spite of several interactions, dialogues, exchange of correspondences and assurances of payment all.
"We have exercised considerable and prolonged patience, allowing multiple deadlines to pass without receiving a satisfactory response to our demands by the Government,” the statement.
“This is to direct all our members in the Universities and Inter-University Centres throughout the country to hold a joint congress in their respective campuses on Monday, 28th October, 2024 and proceed on an indefinite, comprehensive and total strike action as no concession should be given in any gu.
“Our members are in charge of water supply, electricity, communication, internet supply, security, finance, if they pay this money tomorrow (today), we will call off the strike,” SSANU Chairman declared.
In March, the union embarked on a one-week warning strike after its letter to the education minister and the Chief of Staff to the President were not responded to. In July, the unions ordered a nationwide protest to call the government’s attention to their plight.
.Earlier this month, the union gave a seven-day ultimatum over the withheld salaries but the action also failed to achieve the desired result.
“It is quite appalling that we have issued several ultimatums thereafter with no positive result from the government, it is therefore obvious that the government is not positively disposed to our rightful and legitimate demands in spite of several interactions, dialogues, exchange of correspondences and assurances of payment all to no avail,” the unions said in the statement.
Last month, the unions announced plans to commence an indefinite strike if their outstanding salaries were not paid within three weeks, demanding, among other things, the payment of four months’ withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and the implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.
However, six weeks after the grace period elapsed, the government has still not fulfilled this obligation.
The unions noted that they were aware that President Tinubu had approved the payment of the outstanding four months’ withheld salaries, but that this was not implemented by relevant government officials.“
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