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• Issue 2-week ultimatum
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), has threatened to shut down universities if the Federal Government fails to pay its members the four months withheld salaries within the next two weeks.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, the two non-teaching staff unions accused the government of neglect and insincerity. The letter, entitled: “Re-four months withheld salaries: Demand for immediate payment,” was signed by NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, and SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim. The unions expressed concerns that they can no longer ensure industrial harmony within the universities.
“The minister would recall that JAC of NASU and SSANU embarked on a one week warning strike between March 18, 2024 and March 24, 2024 to protest the denial of the arrears of four months salaries withheld between May and August 24, 2022.
“Following a series of letters and the assurances of the payment, we write to remind the minister of our various letters, engagements, assurances towards the payment of the four 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 unions said in the letter.
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 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.”
