SSANU,NASU Threaten Nationwide Protest

By: Aremu Toyeebaht

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have announced a one-day nationwide protest on Thursday, warning that unresolved staff welfare issues could disrupt university operations and affect students’ learning.

Under the Joint Action Committee (JAC), the unions have directed all branches to hold emergency meetings on Wednesday to mobilize members for coordinated protest activities, including campus marches, placard displays, and press briefings.

The unions cited multiple grievances, including alleged inequitable disbursement of the N50 billion earned allowances, delays in renegotiating the 2009 FGN/NASU/SSANU agreements, unpaid salaries for two months, arrears of 25% and 35% salary increments, and non-remittance of third-party deductions for May and June 2022.

JAC had previously issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government on September 15, later extended by 14 days, but no significant progress was made, prompting the decision to escalate the protest.

In a circular titled “Commencement of Protest Actions” dated October 6, NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi and SSANU President Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim emphasized full participation by members. The memo stressed that branch leaders must convene a joint congress on Wednesday to coordinate the protest across universities and inter-university centers.

Ibrahim criticized the government’s handling of the situation, warning that continued inaction could lead to a prolonged strike.

“Ours will not be the ‘mother of all strikes’; it will be the grandfather of all strikes,” he said. “When SSANU or NASU strikes, it affects the entire university system. We must take our destinies in our hands.”

Highlighting the financial and psychological strain on non-academic staff, Ibrahim warned that student services and administrative processes could be disrupted if the government fails to meet the unions’ demands.

Like the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), SSANU and NASU have been in ongoing disputes with the Federal Government over staff welfare and funding, raising concerns about the stability of university operations nationwide.