The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) says it is awaiting the next line of action from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) following the expiration of the four-week ultimatum issued to the Federal Government over unresolved issues affecting university workers.
The union also announced that its National Executive Council (NEC) will meet in early December to take decisive measures as frustration deepens over the slow pace of government renegotiation on pending demands.
The ultimatum, jointly issued on Oct. 20 by the NLC and unions in tertiary institutions—including ASUU, SSANU, NASU, NAAT and ASUP—expired this week. The unions had demanded renewed commitment toward resolving lingering disputes, particularly the renegotiation of the 2009 agreements and other welfare-related concerns.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, expressed disappointment over what he described as the government’s “nonchalant attitude” toward reconciling with the unions despite the ultimatum.
Ibrahim, who also chairs the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and NASU, said that while talks with the government resumed recently, “there has been no meaningful progress.”
“We met with the government team, and they asked us to resubmit our demands, which we did three weeks ago. Since then, there has been no consultation, no feedback, and no indication that the government is treating the matter with urgency,” he said.
On the next steps following the expiration of the ultimatum, Ibrahim said SSANU would act in accordance with the directive of the NLC President, who is expected to communicate the Congress’ position.
“Our fate at this point lies with the NLC leadership. They gave the ultimatum and will determine the next line of action. We are awaiting further instructions from the NLC President before we take any step,” he stated.
The SSANU president also raised concerns over an alleged plan by the Federal Government to outsource various services traditionally handled by university staff. He described the move as “a looming crisis” that could worsen job insecurity across institutions.
“This is a time bomb. Key services like hostel management, staff quarters, maintenance, healthcare, and security cannot be outsourced without destabilising the system,” he warned.
He recalled that a similar outsourcing attempt under former President Olusegun Obasanjo failed due to inefficiency, prompting the government to reverse the decision.
Ibrahim further criticised ongoing efforts by government agencies to circulate questionnaires to university workers, describing the initiative as “misplaced and misleading.” He urged members not to fill out the forms, expressing distrust in the process.
He said SSANU’s NEC meeting scheduled for Jos in early December would be crucial in shaping the union’s response should government inaction persist.
“Our NEC will meet to evaluate the situation comprehensively and take decisive action,” he said. “We cannot continue to operate under harsh economic conditions, rising insecurity and deteriorating infrastructure.”
He called on the Federal Government to demonstrate sincerity in addressing the issues, noting that the continued establishment of new universities despite claims of inadequate funds contradicts government’s stance on resource constraints.
“As workers, we have been patient, but patience has limits. We expect meaningful engagement, not delays,” Ibrahim said.
The NLC leadership is expected to issue a formal directive in the coming days as tensions rise within the university sector over the government’s response to labour demands.
