The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) is set to commence an indefinite strike on Sunday night. This action comes after an ultimatum given to the Federal Government concerning withheld salaries and other unmet demands is set to expire at midnight.
In a statement released on Sunday and signed by SSANU’s National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, and NASU’s General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, the unions expressed frustration over the government’s failure to address their grievances. They cited withheld salaries, unpaid earned allowances, improved remuneration, and the unfulfilled 2009 agreements with the Federal Government as core issues.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment invoked the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy in response to a prolonged strike by four university-based unions in 2022, leading to the current dispute over withheld salaries. Despite multiple protests and ultimatums—including a recent 10-day deadline issued in July during a national protest in Abuja—the unions report that the government has remained unresponsive to their demands.
“We have exercised considerable and prolonged patience,” the JAC statement reads. “It is quite appalling that we have issued several ultimatums with no positive result from the government.”
The directive mandates members at universities and inter-university centers nationwide to meet on Monday, October 28, and proceed with the strike without any concessions. State-owned universities are also encouraged to include any local demands in this strike action.
NASU and SSANU members are expected to strictly adhere to this directive, impacting operations at both federal and state-owned institutions.
