The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) raised their demands to the government in February 13, 2024, through a letter to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman .
The unions threatened to disrupt industrial peace in universities if their demands weren't met on March 1, 2024 .
The demands raised by the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions
The demands raised by the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) include ;
1 )- A N40 billion payment
2 )- The constitution of visitation panels for universities
3 )- Resolution of inconsistencies in the IPPIS payment
4 )- Payment of the earned allowance (EA)
5 )- Payment of arrears of minimum wage
6 )- An end to teaching staff usurping non-teaching headships
7 )- The payment of retirement benefits of outgone members of staff
8 )- Better funding of state universities
9 )- The renegotiation of the 2009 agreements
What led to the Demands Being Brought up
The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) are bringing up demands for the following reasons.
1) - Withheld salaries for four months of NASU and SSANU members
2 )- Non-implementation of the 25 and 35 per cent salary wage award announced by the government
3 )- Non-implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage in some states
4 )- Failure to renegotiate the 2009 agreement with the union
5 )- Inadequate funding of universities
6 )- Deplorable infrastructure
7 )- Low remuneration of teachers
8 )- Selective payment of withheld salaries, with Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) paid but other unions unpaid.
The Federal Government Response To The Demands So Far
The government response to the demands of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has been as follows;
1 )- The Federal Government met with the leaders of SSANU and NASU to persuade them not to go on strike.
2 )- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed that four months of the withheld salaries be paid to the university workers who were involved in the strike.
3 )- The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been paid their four months withheld salaries, but the other three unions are yet to receive their payment.
4 )- The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, promised to take their matter to a higher authority, perhaps Mr. President.
5 )- The government has failed to show any convincing commitment to the payment of the withheld salaries and resolutions of other pending grievances of NASU and SSANU.
6 )- The government’s Honourable Minister of State for Education was not present to receive the unions in the Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment, as she had an urgent call from the villa.
Latest Developments in the Dispute between the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and The Government .
Here are the latest developments in the dispute between the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the government ;
1 )- February 13, 2024: NASU and SSANU wrote to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, about the exclusion of non-teaching staff from the payment of outstanding four months’ salaries.
2 )- March 1, 2024: NASU and SSANU threatened to disrupt industrial peace in universities if the government failed to release the withheld salaries of members.
3 )- March 2, 2024: NASU and SSANU issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over the withheld salaries of their members.
4 )- March 11, 2024: NASU and SSANU declared a seven-day warning strike over the withheld salaries.
5 )- March 24, 2024: NASU and SSANU ended their seven-day warning strike, but the government did not meet their demands.
6 )- June 20, 2024: NASU and SSANU sent a letter to the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, stating that they would begin a work boycott in two weeks if their demands were not met.
7 )- July 4, 2024: The Federal Government met with NASU and SSANU to avert the impending strike over the withheld salaries.
The Staged Nation Wide Protest
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) are staging a nationwide protest due to the following reasons
1 )- The Federal Government's failure to pay the four months' salary arrears owed to NASU and SSANU members
2 )- The Federal Government's failure to address other grievances of NASU and SSANU
3 )- The Federal Government's failure to show any convincing commitment to resolving the issues despite several meetings
4 )- The Federal Government's failure to meet the demands of NASU and SSANU despite several warnings and ultimatums
5) - The unions' decision to take industrial action, which includes protests and a strike, if their demands are not met
6 )- The unions' plan to cripple activities on campuses nationwide if their demands are not met.