June 20, (THEWILL) – The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), has threatened to shut down Universities and Inter-University Centres if the Federal Government failed to pay the four months withheld salaries of members at the expiration of the two weeks ultimatum.
The unions made the decision known in a letter to the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman.
Jointly signed by SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, the unions accused the government of neglect and insincerity.
The salaries were seized by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari during their strike in 2022.
Titled “Re-Four (4) Months Withheld Salaries: Demand for Immediate Payment”, the letter reads: “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 till 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 the Government to the yearnings and aspirations of our members.
“The deafening silence of the 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 (4) months withheld salaries to our members not later than two (2) 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.”
