As the second day of the seven-day warning strike initiated by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) unfolds, causing disruptions in activities across public universities, the Federal Government has condemned the action, citing a violation of Section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act due to the withdrawal of services by non-academic staff.
The strike, which commenced on Monday, has led to the cessation of services by workers in various departments including registry, finance, maintenance, security, and student affairs, effectively paralyzing administrative functions in public universities nationwide.
Reports from visitors to public universities indicate a complete standstill as hostels and university gates remain sealed and electricity supply is cut off.
SSANU and NASU are protesting the Federal Government’s failure to remunerate them, criticizing the preferential treatment given to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in payment disbursements.
In 2022, both unions embarked on an eight-month strike to advocate for improved welfare conditions. Although the government under former President Muhammadu Buhari enforced a ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy against the unions, President Bola Tinubu released four months’ worth of delayed salaries for ASUU members last October.
SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim accuses the Federal Government of discriminatory practices and unequal treatment towards non-academic unions compared to their academic counterparts, questioning the inconsistency in salary payments despite the President’s directive for the clearance of 2022 arrears.
