The fragile peace in the nation’s public universities may once again crumble as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions, NASU, have mobilised their members to stage a national protest on July 18, 2024.
Already the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU has directed each branch of both unions to stage local protests in their campuses on July 9th.
Recall that SSANU and NASU leaderships have been battling the Federal Government to pay their four months salary arrears owed them when they joined an indefinite strike called by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, in the year 2022.
While the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave a directive that the affected staff be paid their salaries, SSANU and NASU members are yet to receive theirs several months after the directive was issued.
Only recently both unions threatened to embark on strike if nothing is done to address their demand, the Federal Government in an attempt to avert the strike, invited them for a meeting with the Minister of Education, Prof. Mamman Tahir.
A joint notice for members to proceed on the protest, issued by General Secretary of NASU, Prince Peters Adeyemi and President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim on Sunday, stated, “the National body of the Joint Action Committee (JAC)of NASU and SSANU met on Thursday, 4th July 2024 to appraise and take position on the current situation in respect of the withheld (4) four months’ salaries and other grievances of our members in University and Inter-University Centres.
“The National JAC on invitation met with the Honourable Minister of Education; Honourable Minister of State for Education; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education; other top officials of the Ministry and National Universities Commission (NUC).
“Unfortunately, the engagement with the Minister of Education did not show any convincing commitment to the payment of the withheld salaries and resolutions of other pending grievances of JAC of the two unions.
“It is also disheartening that the JAC was also at the Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment and as usual, the Honourable Minister of State was not on seat to receive us, as we were informed that she had an urgent call from the villa.
“The Permanent Secretary who stood in for her could not make any commitment on the issues raised.
”In view of this disappointment and failure of the government to address grievances of NASU and SSANU, JAC has decided on a series of Industrial actions which include the following.
“All branches of NASU and SSANU should mandatorily hold a general meeting on Monday, 8th July, 2024 to sensitize members on the insensitivity of the government to our plights.
“A one-day protest should be held on Tuesday, 9th July 2024 at each branch simultaneously. Every branch should ensure that all members fully participate in the protest.
“A national protest will be held in Abuja on Thursday, 18th July 2024 after which JAC will meet to announce a date when the strike action will commence. Further information will be communicated appropriately”.
