The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) are, once again, threatening to bring Nigerian universities to a grinding halt if their long overdue salaries aren’t paid. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. This has become the norm in Nigeria’s education sector, where promises from the government are as empty as the classrooms during these never-ending strikes.
Why It Matters
The unions, in a rather familiar tone, have announced that they will embark on an indefinite strike unless the government pays the four months’ withheld salaries within the next three weeks. And of course, this isn’t just about unpaid salaries, they’re also demanding improved remuneration, earned allowances, and the implementation of agreements that date as far back as 2009. It’s been over a decade since these agreements were signed, and yet, here we are, with university staff still begging for what’s rightfully theirs.
Let’s rewind a bit to 2022 when the Federal Government, in a move that only seems logical to them, invoked the “No Work, No Pay” policy during the strike by four university-based unions. Apparently, the solution to a strike is to punish those striking by withholding their salaries, rather than addressing the root cause of the issue. Who needs to pay their bills or feed their families, right?
What They Are saying
According to a statement signed by SSANU President, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, and NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, the unions had initially given the government a 10-day grace period, which expired on July 26, 2024. This deadline, of course, came and went without much fuss from the government, because, And now, six weeks after that grace period lapsed, the government is still dragging its feet.
The unions have now issued a final ultimatum: the government has exactly three weeks from September 17, 2024, to pay up, or the universities will once again be shut down indefinitely. Students? Well, they’re not a priority here, obviously. They can sit at home for as long as it takes for this never-ending saga to play out.
“It is in light of the above that we inform the government of the decision of the National JAC of NASU and SSANU, at the meeting held on 12th September 2024, that the government is given a final three-week ultimatum from Tuesday, 17th September 2024, to pay the four months’ withheld salaries and implement the agreement reached on 20th August 2022. Failing this, our members may be forced to embark on indefinite strike action at the expiration of the ultimatum,” Ibrahim said.
Interestingly, during the National Minimum Wage meeting, President Bola Tinubu apparently approved the payment of these withheld salaries as far back as July 18, 2024. The President had already given the green light for the payment over two months ago. So, what’s the hold-up?
The unions even stated that they’ve heard rumors that the President has now approved the actual release of the payment. Yet, the money is still nowhere to be found.
It’s almost laughable at this point. The government seems to have mastered the art of approving things on paper but doing absolutely nothing in practice. Meanwhile, university staff are left hanging, and students are caught in the crossfire of a system that clearly doesn’t prioritize education.
Bottom Line
As usual, when push comes to shove, the universities will shut down, the unions will go on strike, the government will make more empty promises, and the cycle will continue. Is anyone really surprised by this? Probably not. After all, this is just another day in the life of Nigeria’s failing education sector.
