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The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has reiterated its stance on the ongoing strike action, stating that both SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) will not return to work until their demands are met.
The unions began an indefinite strike on Monday in protest against the non-payment of four months’ salary arrears.
Despite calls for them to suspend the industrial action, SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim emphasized that a resumption is contingent upon receiving their owed payments.
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“It’s not about meetings. We want payment, and all procedures have been followed. The government can simply order this payment, and I assure you that within 24 hours, we could refer back to our principals and suspend the strike,” Ibrahim stated during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
He added, “We have received assurances from politicians before, but our members have mandated that this strike remains indefinite until we receive our alerts.”
The strike has severely disrupted activities at public universities across Nigeria, leading to the closure of classes and facilities.
Earlier this year, SSANU and NASU conducted a seven-day warning strike starting March 18, 2024, over unpaid salaries.
In response to past strikes, President Bola Tinubu had directed the release of withheld salaries for university workers due to the previous strikes in 2022, during which the unions protested for better welfare packages.
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Despite previous payments approved by the Tinubu administration, SSANU and NASU resumed their strike after a three-week ultimatum, citing unfulfilled promises and poor treatment by the Federal Government.
In light of the current strike, the Senate has labeled the action as unnecessary and urged for dialogue.
Senator Dandutse Mohammed, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions, emphasized the need for discussions with the Federal Government to prevent further hardship and academic disruptions, advocating for a peaceful resolution as a more responsible approach.
