The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has issued a stern warning, declaring its intention to disrupt hostel operations and power supply in universities nationwide if the Federal Government fails to address their grievances by Monday, March 18, 2024.
SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, expressed frustration during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today program, highlighting that members including Vice Chancellors, registrars, and bursars have yet to receive their 2022 arrears.
“To surprise you, even Vice Chancellors are involved in this because VCs have not been paid, registrars have not been paid, bursars have not been paid,” Ibrahim stated.
He said there are some universities that are currently holding their semesters’ but “it’s quite unfortunate that we have to take this painful decision. Some of us also have our children in these schools but when we strike, everything is grounded”.
“Shutting down the university is clearly beyond how it will affect the students because it’s everybody; there will be no electricity, there will be no water, there will be no security, there will be no hostels for students, and there will be no administration,” he stated.
The SSANU leader criticized the Federal Government for prioritizing the payment of withheld salaries to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) while neglecting other unions like SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).
Following an eight-month strike in 2022 to advocate for improved welfare, President Bola Tinubu authorized the release of four months’ withheld salaries for ASUU members, prompting SSANU and NASU to initiate a seven-day warning strike starting March 18, 2024, demanding the settlement of their members’ outstanding salaries.
Ibrahim underscored the urgency of the situation, expressing disappointment in the lack of response from the authorities despite previous waivers granted for salary payments to all unions involved in the 2022 industrial action.
He criticized the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) office for its treatment of SSANU and NASU.
Ibrahim attributed the whole episode to misplacement of priority, saying that the university is a chain and “you don’t treat a group different and others indifferently”.
