The National Executive Council, NEC, of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has approved a seven day warning strike starting on March 18, over the federal government inability to pay its members the four months withheld salaries.
According to Vanguard, the seven day warning strike is expected to commence immediately after the Joint Action Committee, JAC comprising SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, ratify the date this week.
At its 47th NEC meeting at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Ondo State, members of SSANU voted unanimously for a seven day strike which would be followed immediately with an indefinite strike if the government remains adamant.
The SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, while reacting after the decision has been taken, said, “What played out at today’s meeting clearly is that members have unanimously resolved that they will not accept this injustice meted on us, because there is no explanation that can scientifically or naturally be given to anyone as to why one group of our staff is paid and then the other three groups are left.
“Therefore, we have given the next one week where members will go back to their branches and sensitize our members. This time around, it is going to be a total strike. For seven days, there will be no water, no electricity, no medicals, no office work. Everybody will leave his office work until when those seven days reach.
“However, we are hopeful, we are prayerful that government listens and then does the needful because we also know that we have a responsibility for the society, for the university and for our students. So nobody should blame us if this thing happens, because we have given enough notices, we have made enough sensitization and we have contacted enough stakeholders.
“So it’s going to be total, it is going to be total black out in our campuses all through Nigeria. In those seven days until when that money is paid.”
When asked what would happen if the government remains adamant to their request after the seven days warning strike, the SSANU President said, “Clearly, our organs and based on our constitution, will work with the provisions and that by Monday (today), we said our members should go back advertise for meetings, and then by Tuesday, they are supposed to meet in all the branches and Wednesday, they are supposed to return the feedbacks of the sensitization.
“And then JAC leadership, made up of the national officers of the two unions, NASU and SSANU will meet in Abuja by the weekend to declare the strike which will start on Monday, the 18th of March 2024, which will last seven days.
“If government decides to do the needful and listens carefully then leaders will meet to reveal the situation that is opposition. Ibrahim, while reacting to the earlier ultimatum issued to federal government by JAC, said, “That ultimatum was to sensitize government that if nothing is done, we will take this decision. Now decision has been taken. We are now at the level of implementation. So, that is how we work.
“Our union has organs and we do not just wake up overnight and take decisions. And because we’re also law abiding, we try to exhaust all avenues, where peace and tranquility can prevail and reasonability too. So this is what happens. So there is no longer any other ultimatum, it is just the date for the strike. But things will be done between now and then. And then we will just hit the ground running, that is our position.”
Recall, following the order of President Bola Tinubu, the federal universities lecturers under the umbrella of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have been paid the four months withheld salaries, but other staff of the federal universities have been left unattended to.
