The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian
Universities (SSANU) says it may commence
a nationwide strike by Monday if its
members are not paid their salaries.
Mr Promise Adewusi, the association’s
General Secretary, said this at a press
briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
He said that the strike was being
considered to protest against the stoppage
of the salaries of university workers without
any justifiable explanation.
He said that the strike was sequel to a
letter written to the Vice-Chancellors of the
affected federal universities and Senator
Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation (SGF).
Adewusi said that letters were similarly
written to the Minister of Labour and
Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, the
Minister of State for Education, Chief
Nyesom Wike and the Executive Secretary,
National Universities Commission (NUC),
Prof. Julius Okojie.
He, however stressed that SSANU members
would be directed to proceed on the strike
if the government refused to pay the
salaries.
Adewusi advised the vice-chancellors, the
SGF and the ministers of labour and
education to take immediate steps to
remedy the situation.
“Our members in the effected universities
have drawn our attention to the non-
payment of their August salaries without
any justifiable explanations, even as the
month of September has almost drawn to
an end.
“We, hereby, place on record that our
members had long discharged their
obligation as workers for the said month
and they, therefore, deserve their pay.
“The non-payment of our members in the
universities, when some other federal
universities have since paid the August
salaries, is viewed by our members as an
act of punishment against them for working
and this has made them restive.
“We, therefore, demand that the August
salaries of our members in those
universities be paid to them on or before
Friday, 27 September, 2013.
“Failure to pay by the stipulated date will
be regarded as a conclusive act of
aggression against the economic rights and
interests of our members,” he said.
Adewusi said that the union would be at
liberty to direct members to stop work, as
they would no longer be in a position to
continue to pay for their transport to work.
Also, Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu, the SSANU
Chairman in Federal University of
Technology, Minna, called on the Federal
Government to pay the workers so as to
promote industrial harmony.
Aliyu said that it was unfair for the
government not to pay their salaries,
considering the fact that SSANU had
employed dialogue rather than embark on
a strike like the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASSU).
He, however, warned the government not
to misjudge the union’s peaceful
disposition as a sign of weakness.
“Government should not punish us because
of ASUU is on strike. If that is what they
intend to do, it means they are inviting
more trouble in the system.
“We in SSANU believe that through
continuous dialogue, contentious issues
can be resolved; but for government to
refuse to pay our members for two months
is a call for confrontation,” he said
Universities (SSANU) says it may commence
a nationwide strike by Monday if its
members are not paid their salaries.
Mr Promise Adewusi, the association’s
General Secretary, said this at a press
briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
He said that the strike was being
considered to protest against the stoppage
of the salaries of university workers without
any justifiable explanation.
He said that the strike was sequel to a
letter written to the Vice-Chancellors of the
affected federal universities and Senator
Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation (SGF).
Adewusi said that letters were similarly
written to the Minister of Labour and
Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, the
Minister of State for Education, Chief
Nyesom Wike and the Executive Secretary,
National Universities Commission (NUC),
Prof. Julius Okojie.
He, however stressed that SSANU members
would be directed to proceed on the strike
if the government refused to pay the
salaries.
Adewusi advised the vice-chancellors, the
SGF and the ministers of labour and
education to take immediate steps to
remedy the situation.
“Our members in the effected universities
have drawn our attention to the non-
payment of their August salaries without
any justifiable explanations, even as the
month of September has almost drawn to
an end.
“We, hereby, place on record that our
members had long discharged their
obligation as workers for the said month
and they, therefore, deserve their pay.
“The non-payment of our members in the
universities, when some other federal
universities have since paid the August
salaries, is viewed by our members as an
act of punishment against them for working
and this has made them restive.
“We, therefore, demand that the August
salaries of our members in those
universities be paid to them on or before
Friday, 27 September, 2013.
“Failure to pay by the stipulated date will
be regarded as a conclusive act of
aggression against the economic rights and
interests of our members,” he said.
Adewusi said that the union would be at
liberty to direct members to stop work, as
they would no longer be in a position to
continue to pay for their transport to work.
Also, Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu, the SSANU
Chairman in Federal University of
Technology, Minna, called on the Federal
Government to pay the workers so as to
promote industrial harmony.
Aliyu said that it was unfair for the
government not to pay their salaries,
considering the fact that SSANU had
employed dialogue rather than embark on
a strike like the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASSU).
He, however, warned the government not
to misjudge the union’s peaceful
disposition as a sign of weakness.
“Government should not punish us because
of ASUU is on strike. If that is what they
intend to do, it means they are inviting
more trouble in the system.
“We in SSANU believe that through
continuous dialogue, contentious issues
can be resolved; but for government to
refuse to pay our members for two months
is a call for confrontation,” he said
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