Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)
and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational Associated Institutions (NASU) in University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), on Tuesday protested over Federal Government continue withholding of their members four months salaries.
SSANU and NASU under the auspices of Joint Actions Committee (JAC) in UNN said that the warning protest had become necessary as all appeals and meetings with government to pay their members the withheld salaries since 2022 have failed to yield the desired result.
Some of the placards carried by the protesters include Federal Government, pay our members withheld 4 months salaries”, “Nigerians should hold FG responsible if SSANU and NASU embark on nationwide indefinite strike in public universities” among others.
The protesters marched from Margret Ekpo Convocation arena to UNN Administrative Block and ended up in UNN Freedom Square chanting solidarity songs.
Our Correspondent reports that, Chairman of SSANU, Comerade Linus Akata and Comerade Ekene Amu, Chairman of NASU in UNN led the protest.
Speaking Akata said, it was unfortunate that government had refused to implement all agreements with the national JAC including Memorandum of Action (MoA) government signed.
He disclosed that on July 18 all the executives of SSANU and NASU in public universities would gather in Abuja to picket relivant government offices responsible for non-payment of the unions 4-month withheld salaries.
“In serveral meetings government has with national JAC of SSANU and NASU, it promised serveral times to pay non-teaching staff in public universities the withheld four months salaries but unfortunately government 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 on the MoA.
“Nigerians should hold government responsible if SSANU and NASU proceed to nationwide indefinite strike because government fails to do the needful,”Akata said.
He commended members of SSANU and NASU of UNN for coming out in their numbers to carry out the directives of national leadership of JAC.
Also speaking, Amu, Chairman of NASU-UNN said the protest should serve as a note of warning to the government as well as readiness of NASU and SSANU to proceed to indefinite nationwide strike if government fails to do the needful.
“NASU and SSANU have explored and exhausted discussions, meetings and legal processes to avert the impending strike but government has not shown any commitment to pay withheld four months salaries as well as resolve other demands of the unions.
“I urged our members to remain resolute and steadfast as we wait further directives from national JAC on government refusal to pay our four months withheld salaries and meet our other demands,” Amu said
.