Unpaid salaries: Strike will be shelved once we receive payment  — SSANU President

…UNILAG, FUTA, others comply to directives

…As UNILORIN JAC holds congress today

By Sodiq Adelakun

The National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, has stated that the ongoing strike will be called off as soon as the Federal Government addresses the issue of unpaid salaries.

This announcement comes amid heightened tensions and dissatisfaction within the union, which has been on strike due to withheld payments.

He disclosed this on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s News Track programme.

Mohammed Ibrahim, has stated that association members have exhausted all possible avenues to address the issue of withheld salaries by the Federal Government.

The SSANU president noted that members had been “pushed to the wall,” leading to the commencement of the ongoing nationwide strike.

Among other demands, the Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and SSANU are calling for payment of their four-month withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.

After several attempts proved unsuccessful, the unions began the strike on Monday, halting activities across institutions in the country.

“We have made several efforts to engage with the government to resolve the situation. Even before the extension on the 23rd, several extensions were given. Recall that this is not a new issue.

“In July, specifically on the 17th, we held multiple protests in Abuja. Thereafter, the NLC took the matter to the president during discussions on the new minimum wage. At that meeting, the president directed that 50 per cent of the four months’ salaries be paid. But three months later, the promise remains unfulfilled.

“We have held numerous discussions with the ministers of education, who assured us of payment, yet the promise remains elusive. So, for now, we have been pushed to the wall because we have exhausted all avenues to resolve the issue, even asking our members to be patient. Our members across branches have met, and the strike has begun. Moving forward, all activities in the bursary, registry, works and maintenance, security, and student affairs have been put on hold until payments are made,” Ibrahim said.

The SSANU president also noted that once payments are received, the strike will be called off, stating, “Previous overtures were made by the former minister of education. And this morning, I received a call from the minister-designate to discuss a meeting. However, the strike is a process, and the leadership of SSANU and NASU will need to meet.

“Currently, none of us is in Abuja, but we are trying to organise a meeting. The truth is, once these payments are made today, since payments are done by electronic transfer, we will call off the strike.”

Meanwhile, observation by our Correspondent on Monday revealed that Universities across Nigeria were effectively shut down on Monday as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions (NASU) commenced an indefinite strike due to the government’s failure to pay four months of withheld salaries.

The decision for the strike was made during a joint congress of union members, with SSANU’s University of Lagos (UNILAG) Chairman, Comrade Olugbenga Adenaiya, emphasising the collective frustration: “We cannot be treated like slaves in our country. This is a continuation of the strike we suspended earlier this year after the government promised to settle our salaries, which has yet to happen.”

In Akure, SSANU Chairman at the Federal University of Technology, Comrade Felix Adubi, echoed these sentiments, stating, “We won’t budge until our demands are met. The government cannot say we have not tried enough. It’s discriminatory to pay academic staff while ignoring non-teaching staff.”

The strike coincided with the scheduled start of the 2024/2025 academic session, causing significant disruption. In anticipation, some universities, including UNILAG, had already planned to conduct online lectures temporarily.

While many campuses were largely silent, the University of Abuja’s SSANU and NASU members were initially present at work, adhering to a directive to convene for a congress to discuss the national leadership’s call to strike.

The university’s Director of Public Relations, Dr. Habib Yakoob, confirmed that the strike had not yet been officially declared, stating, “As of now, some staff are still in their offices, awaiting the outcome of the congress.”

The unions’ leaders have been vocal about their dissatisfaction, having previously issued multiple ultimatums to the government. In a joint statement, SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, and NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi criticised the lack of responsiveness: “It is appalling that despite several ultimatums issued to the government, no positive result has come.”

In the same vein, the University of Ilorin chapters of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) will convene a joint congress on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, to evaluate the ongoing strike declared by the unions.

This decision follows an ultimatum issued to the Federal Government regarding unpaid salaries.

Public Relations Officer of SSANU at Unilorin, Segun Alabi, stated that the congress will take place at 8 AM at the university’s gate, emphasising the importance of attendance for all union members.