SSANU THREATENS TO SHUT DOWN UNIVERSITIES OVER NON PAYMENT OF WITHHELD SALARIES
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has threatened to shut down universities on Thursday, July 4, over the non-payment of the four months withheld salaries by the Federal Government.
In a communique signed by the President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim after its 48th National Executive Council meeting held in Benin City Edo state, threatened to withdraw their services across Nigerian Universities until their demand is met.
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Unions urges the federal government to do the needful and avoid chaos in the system using preferential treatment of one union over others.
The Joint Action Committee, JAC, comprising SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, had issued a two week ultimatum to the Federal Government to pay its members the four months withheld salaries.
Out of the four University based unions that embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022, the federal government had paid the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, leaving behind the other three unions.
“While we do not begrudge the payment made to our colleagues, we expected same gesture to be extended to SSANU and NASU that legally complied with all procedures before embarking on the Industrial action” The communique stated.
“Despite all promises and media hypes by the Ministers of Education and Labour, including the House of Representatives to pay these arrears, Government has continued to dribble SSANU, even after the mutual agreement to suspend the one week warning strike in March this year.
“NEC in session deliberated on the matter and unanimously approved a long drawn comprehensive industrial action after concurrence with the Joint Action Committee meeting of SSANU and NASU scheduled for Thursday 4th July, 2024, if Government fails to pay the four months salary arrears.” The communique noted.
On the government’s approved wage award of N35,000 to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal which has been stopped, the Unions said that the “gross inability of the wage award to heal the excruciating financial wounds is further compounded by its stoppage in Federal Universities with three months arrears already pending.
“Many states are yet to effect payment of the wage award to our members in state universities thereby increasing their economic woes.”
NEC called on the Federal Government to immediately resume the payment of the wage award alongside the accrued three months arrears without further delay.
NEC also called on state governments that are yet to commence payment of the Wage Award to commence payment with the arrears accruing without further delay.
PR/Adeniyi Bakare
