Today, on Monday, members of the Non-Academic Staff Union and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities launched a statewide walkout against the Federal Government on the grounds of perceived discrimination and inequity in salary distribution.
Last Monday, the unions threatened to cut off electricity and hostels in college campuses nationwide if the federal government did not accede to their demands by today, March 18, 2024.
The Vice Chancellors, Registrars, and Bursars among the members of SSANU, according to National President Muhammad Ibrahim, have not received their 2022 arrears.
Ibrahim told The PUNCH on Sunday that the two unions were preparing to go on strike across the country.
Prof. Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, said he was not aware of the planned strike by SSANU/NASU.
However, Ibrahim announced that the strike had begun on Channels Television’s Morning Show.
“The strike has unquestionably already begun.
“Today (Monday), all of our employees in the areas of registry, bursary, works and maintenance, security, and student affairs have resigned from their positions. Until and unless the necessary actions are taken, nothing will change in the administration of any public university in Nigeria for the next seven days,” he declared.
The president of SSANU emphasised that no official government representative has contacted non-academic unions, but some have done so informally; however, their promises cannot be trusted.
He questioned why certain public servants would not completely carry out President Bola Tinubu’s directive to settle 2022 arrears.
The Minister of Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, he said, had given the unions a seven-day notice last Monday, but had not been in touch with them.
He claimed that this was a change from the former labour minister Chris Ngige’s responsiveness.
He emphasised that following today’s start of the seven-day warning strike, if the government did not respond to the unions’ requests, the unions will return to their toolbox and determine what to do next.