Headlines
Withheld Salaries: SSANU, NASU Threaten Seven-day Warning Strike
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union, on Monday, declared a seven-day warning strike.
The unions said the declaration was made to demand the payment of four months of withheld salaries of their members by the Federal Government after the 2022 nationwide strike.
This followed the resolution of the joint action committee of the two unions after a meeting held in Akure, Ondo State capital on Thursday and Friday.
These were contained in a communique signed by the National President, SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, and made available to our correspondents on Monday.
In 2022, two months after ASUU commenced a nationwide strike, both SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff of Educational and Associated Institutions also embarked on nationwide industrial action.
The action was to protest the government’s failure to fulfill its promises to the workers.
SSANU queried the rationale behind the government’s insistence on the ‘no work, no pay policy,’ saying that due process was followed before embarking on the strike that lasted four months.
Till he left office, President Muhammadu Buhari seized the salaries of the workers. https://punchng.com/ssanu-meets-friday-over-strike-threat/
However, in October last year, President Bola Tinubu announced that his government would pay four months of the withheld salaries to members of ASUU, immediately raising concerns as to the fate of the members of the other unions.
A few weeks ago, the Nigerian government began paying the academics, leaving out the non-academic staff.
On February 13, 2024, SSANU and NASU wrote protest letters to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, over the exclusion of the non-teaching staff from the payment of outstanding four months’ salaries.
However, on March 1, 2024, the unions threatened to disrupt industrial peace in universities should the government fail to release the withheld salaries of members.
The unions in the communique frowned at the latest action of the government, which excluded SSANU and other non-teaching university-based unions from the payment of the four months withheld salaries arising from the nationwide strike action embarked upon by all unions in our public Universities.
The communique read in part, “While SSANU is not averse to the payment of the withheld salary to our sister union ASUU, it, however, views this action as a clear violation and breach of the post-strike agreement with the government on non-victimisation of our members who participated in the strike.
“We strongly oppose this discriminatory practice, which we view as the government’s open invitation to industrial crisis. Credible information available to us has it that the directive of Mr. President is for all university-based unions to be paid four months’ salary.
“NEC suspects saboteurs in this government bent on destabilising and destroying Mr. President’s good intent to sustain industrial peace in the University system.
“NEC in session, therefore, calls on the relevant authorities of the Government to immediately implement the directive of Mr. President by paying our members the four months withheld salaries, failing which NEC has approved a one-week warning strike in conjunction with our sister Union in JAC, NASU.”
The seven-day warning strike is expected to commence on March 18.
Former governor of Anambra State, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has officially defected to the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi announced the decision on Tuesday at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu.
“We are ending this year with the hope that in 2026 we will begin a rescue journey,” Obi said.
The National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, was among the attendees.
United States Representative Riley Moors has said further military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria could follow recent operations ordered by President Donald Trump, describing the actions as aimed at improving security and protecting Christian communities facing violence.
Moore made the remarks during a televised interview in which he addressed U.S. military strikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant targets in North-west Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death,” Moore said.
He said the Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State affiliates had provided hope to Christians in Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by repeated attacks during past festive periods.
According to U.S. authorities, the strikes targeted camps used by Islamic State-linked groups operating in parts of north-west Nigeria.
Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The United States Africa Command said the operation was intended to degrade the operational capacity of extremist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and security forces.
Nigerian authorities have described the targeted groups as a threat to national security, noting their involvement in killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Moore said the strikes marked a shift from previous years in which attacks were carried out against civilians during the Christmas period. He said the U.S. administration was focused on preventing further violence by targeting militant groups before they could launch attacks.
U.S. officials have said the military action was carried out with the consent of the Nigerian government and formed part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria has received intelligence, training and logistical support from international partners as it seeks to contain militant activity.
Moore had previously called for stronger international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and has urged continued U.S. engagement in addressing extremist violence. He said further action would depend on developments on the ground and continued coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have maintained that counter-terrorism operations are directed at armed groups threatening civilians, regardless of religion, and have reiterated their commitment to restoring security across affected regions.
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
