FG Moves to Avert Varsity Workers’ Strike, to Meet SSANU, NASU

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

In a bid to forestall another industrial action by non- teaching staff of federal universities, the federal government has convened a meeting with the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) holding today in Abuja.

The meeting is coming on the heels of the expiration of a two-week ultimatum the Joint Action Committee (JAC), of SSANU and NASU issued to the federal government to pay them their four months withheld salaries or they would shut down universities.

The federal government through the Ministry of Labour and Employment had invoked the ‘No work, no pay’ policy when the four university-based unions embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022.

However, President Bola Tinubu in October last year granted amnesty to the university workers and directed that four months of the withheld salaries should be paid.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had also said the payment was for all the university workers that participated in the strike.

hile the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), has been paid their four months withheld salaries as directed by Tinubu, the other three unions which includes the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), are yet to receive their payment, a development that has generated tension and threat to down tools.

THISDAY gathered that the government has fixed a meeting with SSANU and NASU by 1pm today, to address the contentious issues

A source privy to the planned meeting said, “The Minister of Education has called to meet with SSANU and NASU tomorrow (today) maybe to persuade us not to go on strike. We will honour the invitation.

“We are also going to meet with the Minister of State for Labour and Employment by 3 pm tomorrow (today).”

It was also gathered that the JAC of SSANU and NASU has scheduled to meet by 10 am on Thursday before going for the meeting.

The Joint Action Committee comprising both SSANU and NASU had planned to meet on July 4, after the expiration of the two weeks ultimatum to review the response of government to their demands and declare an indefinite strike if the government refused to pay the withheld salaries.