MEMBERS of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) on Monday, March 18, began a seven-day nationwide warning strike over alleged unfair treatment and disparity in the payment of salaries by the Federal Government.
The two unions had last Monday threatened to shut down hostels and power supply in universities across the country if the Federal Government failed to meet their demands before March 18.
National President of SSANU, Muhammed Ibrahim, said his members, including vice chancellors, registrars and bursars, had not been paid 2022 arrears.
Meanwhile, Minister for Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had earlier denied knowledge of planned strike.
Ibrahim, while declaring that the strike had commenced, added: “Definitely, it has already started.
“As of today (Monday), all our workers in the registry, bursary, works and maintenance, security and students’ affairs have withdrawn their services and nothing moves within the administration of any public university in Nigeria, and that will be the case for the next seven days until and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 stressed that no government representative had reached out to the non-academic unions, adding that even though some persons had reached out to them unofficially, their assurances could not be taken to the bank.
He wondered why some government officials would not fully comply with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to pay 2022 arrears, adding that the Minister of Labour , Nkiruka Onyejeocha, had not reached out to the aggrieved unions, despite issuing a seven-day notice last Monday.
This, he stated, was a departure from the responsiveness of her predecessor, Dr. Chris Ngige, noting that the unions would go back to their toolbox and decide the next line of action should the government fail to listen to their demands after the seven-day warning strike.
