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Non-teaching staff of federal universities in Nigeria have resolved to hold a nationwide protest on Tuesday, 9th July, 2024, to draw attention to their grievances including non-payment of four months withheld salaries by the federal government.
They also resolved to hold a national protest which will take place in Abuja on Thursday, 18th July, 2024, after which both unions will meet to announce a date when they will commence strike action.
In a circular dated July 4th, 2024, the university workers under the auspices of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) said that government has not shown any convincing commitment on the payment of the withheld salaries and resolutions of other pending grievances.
In the circular addressed to all branch chairmen of NASU and SSANU in the university and inter-university centres and jointly signed by SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi the union said the Joint Action Committee (JAC) has decided to embark on series of industrial actions.
The circular directed that, “All branches of NASU and SSANU should mandatorily hold a general meeting on Monday, 8th July, 2024 to sensitise members on the insensitivity of government to our plights.
“A one-day protest should hold on Tuesday, 9th July,2024 at each branch simultaneously. Every branch should ensure that all members fully participate in the protest and the media is adequately mobilised”.
The unions further stated: “It is also disheartening that the JAC was also at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and as usual, the minister of state was not on seat to receive us, as we were informed that she had an urgent call from the villa.
“The permanent secretary who stood in for her could not make any commitment on the issues raised.”
The unions said they met under the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU on Thursday, 4th July, 2024, to appraise and take position on the current situation in respect of the withheld four months’ salaries and other grievances of their members in university and inter-university centres.
According to the unions, the meetings they had with the Minister of Education and officials of National Universities Commission (NUC) failed to yield positive outcome
Similarly, the unions said that they met with the Minister of Education; Minister of State for Education; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education; other top officials of the Ministry and National Universities Commission (NUC) but that unfortunately, government did not show “any convincing commitment on the payment of the withheld salaries and resolutions of other pending grievances of JAC of the two unions”.
Onyebuchi Ezigbo
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