On Monday, federal universities across the country were shut down, in compliance with the indefinite strike called by the Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities.
On Sunday night, SSANU and NASU vowed to indefinitely shut down all university activities across the country, starting Monday, until the Federal Government paid the four months withheld salaries.
A statement made available to The PUNCH on Sunday and signed by the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, and the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, said the ultimatum it gave the Federal Government over its withheld salaries expired Sunday midnight.
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.
“The two months we are talking about, up until now, we have yet to get anything. Our four-month salaries should be paid. When they pay us, we will go back to work.”
Meanwhile, the SSANU and NASU branches of the University of Ilorin will hold a joint congress today to assess the strike.
The Public Relations Officer of SSANU, UNILORIN chapter, Segun Alabi, disclosed this to The PUNCH in Ilorin, Kwara State on Monday.
Alabi said, “We will hold a congress at the gate of the University of Ilorin at 8am tomorrow (Tuesday) where we will take a decision on the strike.”
The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Lucky Emonefe, said the association was not in support of the strike, adding that shutting down schools would disrupt students’ academic progress.
I have maintained that students were in school to complete their studies.
Emonefe said, “We urge senior and non-academic staff to consider the interests of Nigerian students when taking such actions.
