By Okeke Eunice
The Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities has announced that there has been no official communication from the government regarding its current strike.
On Monday, the JAC of SSANU and NASU began an indefinite strike due to over four months of unpaid salaries, which has effectively suspended university activities across the country.
In an interview with a national television on Tuesday night, SSANU National Vice-President Abdussobur Salaam stated, “There is no update on the ongoing strike; it continues. Some informal discussions took place between the minister of state for education and our union leaders, but there has been no significant progress—only an informal appeal.
“This situation has gone on for a long time, with repeated unfulfilled promises. All of our ultimatums have lapsed, and we still have not received any payments.”
“The recent invitation was just an informal phone call. We urge the authorities to take strong action; we have come too far to accept empty promises. If we do not receive our payments, we will not relent.”
A statement released on a national television on Sunday and signed by SSANU National President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi confirmed that the ultimatum issued to the Federal Government regarding the withheld salaries expired at midnight on Sunday.
The unions are calling for, among other things, the payment of the four months’ overdue salaries, enhanced remuneration, earned allowances, and the implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.
The Federal Government, via the Ministry of Labour and Employment, implemented the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy when the four university-based unions went on a lengthy strike in 2022.
In a circular, the unions provided the Federal Government with seven days to fulfill their demands for the payment of the outstanding four months’ salaries and the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the government on August 20, 2022, which expired at midnight on Sunday, October 27, 2024.
It is worth noting that during the last National Peaceful Protest by the JAC of NASU and SSANU, held on July 18, 2024, at Unity Fountain in Abuja, a 10-day ultimatum was given to the government to pay the withheld salaries to prevent a shutdown of university activities and inter-university centers, yet no action was taken in response.