The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has called upon the Federal Government to provide further details regarding the payment of salaries withheld from members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) during the eight-month strike in 2022. The SSANU expressed its concern that the recent communication from the Presidency seemed to focus primarily on ASUU and lacked reference to other university-based unions.
Back in 2022, several university-based unions, including ASUU, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), engaged in a strike. While the SSANU and NASU strikes persisted for a little over four months, the ASUU strike continued for eight months.
The decision of these unions to go on strike led the administration of the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, to enforce a “no-work-no-pay” policy on the workers. However, under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, there was a partial waiver of the “no work, no pay” directive, resulting in the release of four months’ salary arrears from the eight months withheld by the government. Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesperson, conveyed Tinubu’s decision, explaining that the waiver was part of ongoing efforts to alleviate the difficulties experienced during the implementation of crucial economic reforms in the country.
Addressing the matter, Mohammed Ibrahim, the National President of SSANU, stated, “We are still seeking additional details on the issue. Although the headlines focused on ASUU, we anticipate that the government will ensure fairness for all university-based unions.”
Source: Chrome
ASUU also made remarks regarding the partial waiver of the eight-month salary arrears. Gbolahan Bolarin, the Chairman of ASUU at the Federal University of Technology, Minna branch, and a member of the National Executive Council, mentioned, “The Federal Government has issued its statement. Undoubtedly, our national body will also respond accordingly.”
Additionally, Ibrahim raised concerns about Nigerian government-sponsored scholars absconding after completing their programs abroad and suggested collaborative action among Nigerian Embassies to prevent such occurrences.
In a statement from July, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono, disclosed that over 137 students who were sponsored on scholarships abroad had absconded. He noted the challenge in collecting owed funds from guarantors responsible for the sponsored students.
