The Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government, demanding the payment of four months of unpaid salaries withheld between May and August 2022.
Failure to meet this demand will result in a nationwide shutdown of universities.
The ultimatum was communicated in a letter dated June 19, 2024, addressed to the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman.
The letter, co-signed by SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, and Secretary-General Comrade Peters Adeyemi, expressed frustration over the government’s prolonged silence and inaction despite multiple warnings and a previous strike.
The unions highlighted a week-long warning strike from March 18 to March 24, 2024, and reiterated their grievances over the non-payment of the withheld salaries. They accused the government of insincerity and neglect, undermining collective bargaining and fostering distrust.
“We demand the immediate payment of the four months’ withheld salaries to our members no later than two weeks from the date of this correspondence; failing which we will be left with no option but to shut down the universities and inter-university centres,” the letter stated.
The unions warned that the government’s inaction is causing significant agitation among their members, threatening industrial peace and harmony across university campuses. The situation has reached a critical point, and the unions are resolute in their demand for justice and fairness for their members.
