UniAbuja’s SSANU and NASU Protest, Demanding Government Action on Unpaid Salaries.

On Tuesday, non-teaching staff members of Nigerian universities, represented by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), staged a protest in Abuja.

The demonstration addressed grievances such as withheld salaries and unresolved issues despite previous agreements with the federal government.

Starting at the University of Abuja’s Gwagwalada campus and concluding at the main campus on Airport Road, protesters carried placards with messages like “Non-Teaching Staff are Important Stakeholders in the University” and “Pay us our sweat.” These highlighted their frustrations over delayed payments and unmet promises.

Nurudeen Yusuf, Chairman of JAC Abuja Chapter and SSANU, criticized the government’s failure to fulfill obligations since March 2022, when members initially went on strike. He noted that despite President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 campaign promises to eradicate strikes and subsequent directives for salary payments, the situation remains unresolved.

“We embarked on this protest to draw attention to issues affecting our welfare and university education, particularly the non-payment of our withheld four months’ salaries,” Yusuf stated. He expressed disappointment over the selective implementation of presidential directives, favoring teaching staff over non-teaching counterparts.

Yusuf warned of escalating actions if the government continues to ignore their demands, suggesting a potential nationwide shutdown of university operations. He called for ministerial intervention to prevent further disruption to academic activities and emphasized the need for equitable treatment and fulfillment of agreements to restore trust among university staff.

The protest by non-teaching staff members in Abuja underscores ongoing discontent over unresolved salary issues and perceived unequal treatment compared to academic counterparts. As tensions rise, stakeholders and government officials are urged to engage constructively to avert further disruptions in university operations nationwide.

“Our hope was renewed with President Tinubu’s promises, but nine months after his directive, we are yet to receive our salaries. This selective implementation undermines our trust in the government’s commitment to education,” emphasized Nurudeen Yusuf.

The protest follows failed negotiations with the federal government over withheld salaries and alleged breaches of agreements. SSANU and NASU have threatened further actions, including potential  total shutdowns of universities, if their demands are not promptly met. They also called on the Minister of Education and the Minister of Labour and Employment to take immediate action to address the grievances and prevent prolonged disruptions in academic activities.