The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has asked the Federal Government for further clarifications on the payment of withheld salaries to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) who embarked on an eight-month-long strike in 2022.
The union noted that the statement issued by the Presidency only focused more on ASUU without referencing other university-based unions.
In 2022, major university-based unions embarked on strike, including ASUU, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU).
Though the strike by SSANU and NASU lasted for a little over four months, the ASUU strike lasted for eight months.
The decision of the unions to embark on strike had led to the administration of the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, to invoke a no-work-no-pay rule on the workers.
But the administration of President Bola Tinubu said he partially waived the “no work, no pay” order, amounting to the release of four months out of the eight months salary arrears of the lecturers withheld by the government.
Earlier, in a statement conveying President Tinubu’s decision, presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, said that the waiver was part of an ongoing effort to mitigate the difficulties being felt during the implementation of key economic reforms in the country.
Speaking with newsmen, the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, said, “We are still seeking further clarifications on the matter. Though the headlines captured ASUU, we believe that the government will not shortchange other university-based unions”.
On its part, ASUU said it would respond appropriately to the partial waiver on the eight months’ salary arrears issued by President Tinubu’s administration.
The Chairman of the union, Federal University of Technology, Minna branch, and a member of the National Executive Council (NEC), Prof Gbolahan Bolarin, said, “They (FG) have issued their statement. Definitely, our national body will also respond appropriately”.
