Today, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) have started a nationwide strike, disrupting public universities in Nigeria. The strike is due to unresolved issues over unpaid salaries for their members.
On June 20, 2024, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU warned Education Minister Prof. Tahir Mamman that they would start the strike if their demands were not met within two weeks. In a letter signed by NASU General Secretary Prince Peter Adeyemi and SSANU’s Mohammed Ibrahim, the unions accused the government of ignoring their issues and breaking promises. They claim the federal government has failed to address the unpaid salaries, even after agreeing to suspend a warning strike in March.
At the same time, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is also preparing for a strike, despite recent discussions with the education minister. ASUU branches across Nigeria are getting ready to strike based on a directive from their national leaders.
Recently, the federal government and ASUU had a closed-door meeting to try to resolve their issues and avoid a strike. ASUU President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke was hopeful that the government would follow through on their agreements. However, ASUU has expressed frustration because key issues, such as the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, backlog of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), and unpaid salaries, remain unresolved.
Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, the ASUU branch chairman at the University of Abuja, confirmed that his branch is ready for a strike if necessary. He noted that the government has not yet addressed crucial issues like revitalization, renegotiation, and payment of arrears. The branch is waiting for instructions from the national office before taking action.
Meanwhile, a source at the Federal Ministry of Education, who wished to remain anonymous, said the government is trying to solve the issues to prevent further disruptions. The ministry is in talks to avoid an ASUU strike.
Today, the federal government has arranged urgent meetings with SSANU and NASU to discuss the four months’ unpaid salaries. The meetings are set for 1 pm with the Education Minister and 3 pm with the Minister of State for Labor and Employment. These meetings aim to prevent a total shutdown of universities, following the expiration of a two-week ultimatum from JAC.
In 2022, the federal government implemented a ‘No work, no pay’ policy during a long strike by university unions. Last year, President Bola Tinubu granted amnesty to university workers, directing the payment of withheld salaries for four months. While ASUU has received its payments, SSANU, NASU, and other unions are still waiting for theirs.
