Unilorin NASU, SSANU Join Nationwide Strike

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Non-teaching Staff Unions in the universities, University of Ilorin chapter yesterday joined the nationwide strike action called by the national body.

The JAC comprises the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

 The affected unions in the nation’s federal universities  have shut down the universities in the country in compliance with the indefinite strike called by JAC over non-payment of their allowances.

A visit by our correspondent to the campus of the University yesterday revealed that workers under the JAC unions stayed out of their places of work.

Speaking with our correspondent at the entrance of the University of Ilorin,  the NASU Chairman, Unilorin Branch, Mr. Suberu Ibrahim,  said the strike action will be total and indefinite.

According to him, the action is as a result of the non-payment of the four months withheld salaries of its members.

Suberu explained that the unions are demanding, among others, the payment of the four month withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and implementation of the 2009 agreements with the government.

“You will recall that in the last few months, we have been agitating for the payment of our withheld salaries, and when we went to Abuja National protest, President Ahmed Tinubu, in his magnanimity directed that the money should be paid to us.

“Unfortunately, the Minister for Finance refused to pay us,” he alleged.

Also speaking, the Chairman SSANU, Unilorin Chapter, Mr Falowo Naheem,  expressed displeasure with the treatment, the non-teaching staff are getting from the federal government.

According to him, the government is yet to fulfill the 2022 agreement, which resulted in strike action.

Naheem stated that the “unions were only taking strike action as the last resort because members were pushed to the wall.

“The situation in Nigeria does not warrant for any government which is insensitive to hold people’s salary. This is a country werw you cannot afford transportation, food, hospital bills,” he lamented.

On his part, the National Financial Secretary of SSANU, Mr Akanbi Jimoh, stated that the national body will not relent in fighting for the welfare of members.