By Cross Udo, Abuja
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) have given the Federal Government two weeks to pay the four months withheld salaries.
The JAC has also threatened to shut down universities and inter-universities centres if the government failed to pay the withheld salaries at the expiration of the two weeks ultimatum.
The two non-teaching staff unions in a letter to the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, accused the government of neglect and insincerity.
In the letter titled: “Re-four months withheld salaries: Demand for immediate payment,” which was signed by the NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, and SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, the two unions said that they can no longer guarantee industrial harmony in the universities.
The letter read, “The Honourable Minister would recall that the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU embarked on a one-week warning strike between March 18th, 2024, and March 24th, 2024 to protest the denial of the arrears of four (4) months salaries withheld between May and August 24th, 2022.
“Following a series of letters and the assurances of the payment, we write to remind the Honourable Minister of our various letters, engagements, and assurances towards the payment of the four (4) months withheld salaries of SSANU and NASU.
“We wish to express our regrets and dismay that up to date, the withheld salaries have not been paid to our members. We view it as an act of insincerity and neglect on the part of Government to the yearnings and aspirations of our members.”
Accusing the government of negating the spirit of collective bargaining which has built distrust, the unions said, “The deafening silence of government and failure to pay the withheld salaries is creating a high level of agitations and contentions among our members in the Universities and Inter-University Centres such that we can no longer guarantee industrial peace and harmony on University campuses.
“We, therefore, demand the immediate payment of the four months withheld salaries to our members not later than two weeks from the date of this correspondence, failing which we will be left with no option than to shut down the Universities and Inter-University Centres.”
*Address lingering issues or face fresh strike, ASUU warns govt
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University, Gashua branch in Yobe State, has asked the Federal Government to address the lingering issues affecting universities to avoid another disruption of academic activities on campuses.
The Chairman of the branch, Melemi Abatcha, and his members who addressed journalists at Damaturu the state capital on Thursday outlined funding for the revitalisation of Nigerian public universities, and the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement among the major issues.
“Funding for revitalisation of Nigeria public universities i.e. improved infrastructure, conducive teaching/learning environments, students and staff accommodation, equipping of laboratories and libraries. Consequently, the Academic Staff of Nigerian Universities have remained on the same salary structure since 2009.
“Even with the directive of Federal Executive Council (FEC) for removal of ASUU from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform since December 2023 till now, ASUU members are still being paid via the obnoxious platform (IPPIS),” he said in a statement.
Other issues they listed include university autonomy, the proliferation of public universities, the backlog of earning academic allowances amounting to N50bn, and the withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries of its members across the country.
Melemi also explained that the removal of fuel subsidy without credible alternatives has brought untold hardship on the people, adding that it would not want to compound it with yet another disruption of academic activities.
The union also called on FG to show sensitivity to the plight of Nigerians by speedily agreeing and implementing an acceptable living wage for Nigerian workers to assuage the suffering of Nigerians.
The warning comes on the heels of the ongoing battle between FG and the labour unions over a new minimum wage.
