Nsukka, Nigeria – Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational Associated Institutions (NASU) at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), on Tuesday protested against the continued withholding of their four-month salaries by the Federal Government.
SSANU and NASU, under the auspices of Joint Actions Committee (JAC) at the UNN, said its ‘warning’ protest became necessary as all appeals designed to make government to pay the salaries, withheld in 2022, have failed to yield the desired result.
Some of the placards carried by the protesters read “Federal Government, pay our members withheld 4 months salaries”, “Nigerians should hold FG responsible if SSANU and NASU embark on a nationwide indefinite strike in public universities”, among others.
The protesters marched from the Margret Ekpo Convocation arena to the UNN Administrative Block and ended up at the UNN Freedom Square chanting solidarity songs.
The Chairman of SSANU, Comrade Linus Akata, and Comrade Ekene Amu, Chairman of NASU at the UNN, led the protesters.
Speaking, Akata said it was unfortunate that government had refused to implement all agreements with the national JAC, including a Memorandum of Action (MoA), which it signed.
He disclosed that on July 18 all the executives of SSANU and NASU in public universities would gather in Abuja to picket relevant government offices responsible for the non-payment of the unions’ four-month withheld salaries.
Akata said: “In several meetings government had with national JAC, it promised to pay the salaries but unfortunately it has failed to match words with actions.
“Government even signed MoA with our national leaders but till today government is yet to redeem its pledge.
“Nigerians should hold government responsible if SSANU and NASU proceed on the nationwide indefinite strike. This is because government has failed to do the needful,” Akata said.
He commended members of the unions for coming out in their numbers to carry out the directives of the national leadership of JAC.
Also speaking, Amu, Chairman of NASU-UNN, said the protest should serve as a warning to government and unions’ readiness to proceed on an indefinite nationwide strike if government fails to do the needful.
“NASU and SSANU have explored and exhausted all avenues, including legal processes, to avert the strike but government has not shown any commitment to pay the salaries and resolve other demands of the unions.
“I urged our members to remain resolute and steadfast as we wait further directives from the national JAC,” Amu said.
