The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has announced an indefinite strike, set to commence Sunday night, plunging the nation’s universities into potential chaos.
In a statement released Sunday and signed by SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, and NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, the unions said the Federal Government had failed to meet their demands, including the payment of four months' withheld salaries, improved remuneration, earned allowances, and the implementation of the 2009 agreements.
The ultimatum issued to the Federal Government expires at midnight on Sunday, October 27, 2024, with union leaders warning that academic and administrative activities across universities and inter-university centres will be completely shut down unless their demands are met.
“It is clear that the government is indifferent to our legitimate demands,” the statement read. “Despite several meetings, correspondences, and assurances, nothing tangible has been done. Our patience has run out, and members are hereby directed to hold joint congresses on their respective campuses on Monday, October 28, and proceed on an indefinite, comprehensive strike.”
The dispute traces back to the government's invocation of the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy during the protracted strike by university unions in 2022. The unions argue that the withheld salaries are unjust and that the government’s failure to honor the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on August 20, 2022, is unacceptable.
NASU and SSANU had previously issued several ultimatums, including a 10-day notice following a protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja on July 18, 2024. The unions accuse the government of ignoring their repeated warnings, leaving them with no option but to shut down universities.
The unions are not only targeting federal institutions; they have called on state-owned universities to join the strike and incorporate their local demands into the action. “This strike will be total. No concessions will be granted in any guise,” the statement declared.
The looming shutdown has sparked widespread concern, with many students and parents expressing fears of prolonged disruption to academic activities. Universities are now bracing for the impact of the strike, as JAC leaders insist that no form of compromise will be entertained.
