More trouble for varsity students as NASU, SSANU extend strike by two months

The hope of ending the ongoing industrial action in the universities has become dimmed as Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and allied institutions has announced an extension of its strike by two months.

This came on Wednesday in a statement signed by the National President, SSANU, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, and General Secretary, Mr Peter Adeyemi.

The statement partly read, “In view of the fact that government is still a long way from effectively resolving the issues in contention, it is only expedient that we allow the process to be fully concluded before directing the end of the strike. Consequently, you are hereby informed that the strike has been extended by two months, within which we are hoping that all the contentious issues would have been effectively laid to rest. The two-month extension is with effect from Friday, June 24, 2022.’’

The NASU/SSANU’s strike started with a warning strike of two weeks which commenced at the midnight on Sunday, March 27, 2022, while the extension of another two weeks commenced on Sunday, April 10, 2022, and it is still ongoing.

Their demands include the inconsistent issue of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system, unpaid earned allowances, delay in the renegotiation of the FGN, NASU, SSANU agreements, and non-payment of minimum wage arrears.

Others are neglect and poor funding of state universities, non-payment of retirement benefits to outgoing members of the unions, and usurpation of the headship of non-teaching units in clear violation of conditions of service and establishment procedures, among others.