SSANU, NASU Issues Two Weeks Ultimatum as Talks with Government Begins

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have extended the strike ultimatum issued to the Nigerian government over unmet demands. 

In a letter to its members on Tuesday, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU said the decision to extend the ultimatum by two weeks followed a meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan, on Friday, 19 September. 

The letter, co-signed by SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, said the government, after receiving its seven-day ultimatum last week, constituted a joint consultative committee to investigate their demands. 

It noted that the committee met on Friday and deliberated on the unions’ demands, “but concrete resolutions of our requests have not been met, necessitating the continuation of discussions.” 

Therefore, the unions resolved to extend the ultimatum by an additional two weeks, effective from Tuesday, 23 September. 

It noted that the extension provides the government with an opportunity to initiate the requisite processes to address their demands. 

“If the government fails to do the needful within this extended period, the JAC will summarily proceed with a series of legitimate industrial actions upon expiration of the extension,” the letter said. 

JAC listed attendees of Friday’s meeting to include Mr Enitan, the Permanent Secretary; the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Abdullahi Ribadu, a professor; the Director, Tertiary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Joel Ojo; and the Director, Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Amos Falonipe. 

Initial ultimatum 

JAC had, in a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, issued the government a seven-day ultimatum effective 15 September, threatening to embark on a series of industrial actions, including a strike, should the government fail to address the demands. 

In the letter, JAC said the government has consistently failed to address their demands, despite several meetings and reminders. 

“Despite our repeated efforts to draw your attention to address concerns affecting our members in the universities and Inter-university centres, there appears to be nothing positive forthcoming from your office,” JAC had said. 

Demands 

In the letter, both unions listed three demands: unjust disbursement of N50 billion earned allowances; outstanding withheld Salaries and 25/35 per cent Salary Increments; and the renegotiation of 2009 agreements with the federal government. 

JAC had said the N50 billion earned allowances released by the government for university staff were shared disproportionately, with 70 per cent going to the academic staff while the remaining 30 per cent went to all non-teaching staff unions, including SSANU, NASU and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT). 

The unions also said it has only had one meeting with the Yayale Ahmed-led committee, inaugurated in October last year, to renegotiate the 2009 agreement with the university-based unions. 

It expressed concern that the same committee has gone ahead to conclude the renegotiation with the academic staff while neglecting them. 

Failed efforts 

JAC said these concerns were presented to the minister via a letter on 18 June and at a meeting with him on 4 July. 

The letter noted that the 4 July resolution stated that a tripartite committee comprising representatives from the education ministry, NUC and JAC of NASU and SSANU would be constituted to resolve the ‘skewed’ distribution of the earned allowances. 

It added that the minister, at the meeting, also pledged to ‘set machinery in motion’ to resolve the payment of arrears of 25/35 per cent salary increments owed to the non-teaching university staff members. 

After months of silence, JAC said a letter of reminder was sent to the minister on 18 August, reminding him of the resolutions at the 4 July meeting. 

“Regrettably, we are yet to see progress,” it said.