The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) has issued a stark warning of an impending indefinite strike if the Nigerian Government does not settle outstanding salaries within three weeks.
This ultimatum, announced in a statement signed by SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi on Wednesday.
The unions’ grievances stem from the expiration of a 10-day grace period, which ended on July 26, 2024, during which the government was expected to pay four months of overdue salaries to university staff. Beginning September 17, they have granted the government an additional three-week window to meet their demands or face a shutdown of universities and inter-university centers.
Among the key demands are the immediate payment of withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and the implementation of the 2009 agreement between the unions and the federal government. The unions accuse the government of neglecting its responsibilities despite an earlier six-week ultimatum issued in July.
As tensions rise, the potential strike threatens to disrupt academic activities across Nigeria’s universities, amplifying concerns over the impact on students and educational progress.
