The National Association of Academic Technologists, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi branch has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike action should the federal government refuse to pay the over 38 months outstanding entitlements of its members.
NAAT Chairman ATBU Bauchi Chapter, Bashir Zwall, made this threat on Saturday during a protest at the Yelwa Campus in Bauchi over the withheld salaries.
Zwall, while speaking with journalists, listed the association’s demands to include “Payment of 38 months of responsibility allowance, seven months of Occupational Hazard Arrears, five months of Outstanding Salaries, 12 months of 25/35 per cent salary increment, and N59 billion Earned Allowance approved since 2023, among others.”
He added, “The association has already frowned at the attitude of the federal government over the non payment of the outstanding monies owed members, despite repeated pleas and correspondences, a situation that has forced members into untold hardship.”
He expressed concern that some of the association’s members have died and others plunged into serious hardship due to the non-payment of their entitlements.
Zwall used the medium to appeal to the National Assembly, parents, and other critical stakeholders to intervene by compelling the Federal Government through the Minister of Finance to release the entitlements to avoid further disruption of academic activities due to another industrial action from the university workers.
I want to urge the federal government to heed to calls by the union and do the needful because all we hear from the government is no money but that has not stopped them from buying expensive things for their official use from the President down to the legislators, and as such we are calling on the Nigerian people to note that those at the helm of affairs have pushed us to the level of saying ‘Enough is Enough’ until all entitlements are paid”, he stated.
Arewa PUNCH reports that the protest by the academic technologists which was carried out in all branches of the association across the country saw the ATBU NAAT members display placards with various inscriptions such as “FGN RELEASE OUR N50 Billion EARNED ALLOWANCE,” “PAY US OUR 12 MONTHS 25/35% ARREARS,” “PAY US OUR WITHHELD SALARY” among others.
