The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have reaffirmed their commitment to continuing their indefinite strike until their demands are met.
The strike, which began on Monday, protests the non-payment of four months’ salary arrears.
SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim emphasized that payment, not assurances, is the only solution.
“It’s not about meeting; we want payment, and every procedure has been followed. They can simply direct this payment, and I assure you, within 24 hours, we can refer back to our principals and suspend the strike.”
“Assurances from politicians and government officials are not new to us. But our members’ mandate is clear: this strike is indefinite, and we’ll only resume when we receive payment alerts.”
Recall that there was a seven-day warning strike in March 2024 over unpaid salaries.
President Bola Tinubu previously directed the payment of withheld salaries for university workers due to the 2022 strike. However, SSANU and NASU claim the government has reneged on promises, prompting their current action.
The Senate has labeled the strike unnecessary and urged dialogue. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions, Dandutse Mohammed, advocated for a peaceful resolution to avoid further hardship and academic disruptions.
In response, Ibrahim stressed that payment of salary arrears is non-negotiable. “We’ve received assurances before, but our members demand tangible action.”
