Tension is mounting across Nigeria’s universities as non-academic staff join the wave of agitation over unmet government promises.
Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) on Thursday staged nationwide protests to demand the full implementation of agreements signed with the Federal Government in 2022.
The National Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU had after a meeting on 6 October issued a circular directing all branch leadership in the universities and inter-university centres throughout the country to convene a joint congress in their respective campuses on 8 October to mobilise and prepare for a one-day protest on 9 October to further amplify the unions’ agitations and warn the federal government of an avoidable paralysis of activities across tertiary institutions.
The circular, jointly signed by NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, and SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, recalled that in its earlier circular titled “Current Status of Our Agitations” (Reference No. JAC/NS/Vol. III/55) and dated 22 September, the Federal Government was granted a 14-day extension following the lapse of an initial 7-day deadline to address the unions’ concerns.
This development comes barely four days to the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over its own unmet demands.
DevReporting earlier reported that ASUU leadership declared that after 14 days from Monday, 29 September, and without any satisfactory resolution of its issues by the Nigerian government, a two-week warning strike would be declared.
The union said if the issues are still not satisfactorily addressed within the two weeks, it will commence an indefinite strike action.
The protest
Members of NASU and SSANU at the University of Lagos on Thursday, converged on the institution’s Senate Building, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “FGN, honour the 2009 agreement,” “Release our withheld salaries,” “FG, stop strangling our cooperatives,” “Pay third-party deductions,” “Third-party deductions are not government property,” “Pay our funds now,” and “Non-teaching staff are not inferior staff,” among others.
During the protest, the speech of the Joint Action Committee, read by the UNILAG NASU Chairman, Abiodun Olayinka, stated:
“This gathering aims to shed light on the escalating crisis in the university sector, which continues to affect our members.
“Regrettably, the government’s unfulfilled promises have necessitated this public statement to caution all stakeholders in our universities and inter-university centres. The current situation is unsustainable for our educational system due to the government’s insincerity towards the plight of NASU and SSANU members.”
NASU, SSANU’s demands
The JAC leadership recalled that its struggle between 2021 to 2022 led to a signed agreement between the JAC of the two unions and the federal government on 20 August, 2022.
“It is disheartening to inform you that the issues which led to the strike action imposed on our members by the government between 27 March and 24 August 2022, which culminated in the agreement signed in August 2022 are still staring us in the face, yet to be resolved. This is deeply concerning, as it makes a mockery of the collective bargaining process and the agreements reached with the government,” it stated.
The issues in contention according to JAC of NASU and SSANU are: renegotiation of year 2009 FGN and NASU/SSANU agreements, non-payment of 25 per cent/ 35 per cent salary increments, unjust disbursement of N50 billion earned allowances, non-payment of outstanding withheld salaries and non-payment of third party deductions of the two months salaries (May and June, 2022).
Commenting on the renegotiation of the FGN/NASU and SSANU 2009 agreement, the committee noted that the agreements of NASU and SSANU had a major cause that the agreements were to be reviewed every three years.
“Since 2012, strident efforts have been made to force the hands of the government to cause a review the agreements. In 2017, the government caused the constitution of a Committee for that purpose. Through Babalakin, Munzali Jibril, Nimi Briggs and Yayale Ahmed, it has been an unending exercise.”
Mr Olayinka added that the purpose of the protest was to drive home the demands of the unions to prevent escalation of the issue to a full industrial action.
“It is our hope that this protest drives home our demands without giving us reason to proceed on more drastic and extreme measures,” the committee said, while it called on all stakeholders in the education sector to prevail on the government to ensure the demands are resolved without escalating to a full declaration of industrial action in universities.
No rest until our demands are met – UNILAG branch
Mr Olayinka of UNILAG NASU, further affirmed that JAC is determined to get their demands resolved, stating that the members will not rest until the government does the needful.
“We are here to let the federal government know that we will not rest until we get our demands met. The withheld salaries, renegotiation of 2009 agreement, wage awards, unjust disbursement of N50 billion, among others.
“Enough of this divide and rule. We say ‘NO’ to divide and rule. We cannot take the government seriously again, enough of unfulfilled promises. From 2009 to 2025, nothing has been done. The government is not serious, if it was serious, Nigerian universities would have gone beyond its current stage.”
Also speaking at the protest scene, the SSANU Chairman, Rasak Yusuf, added that the unions have been patient enough, declaring that the time to act has come.
“We know the language the government understands. This is time for action as we have written a series of letters, we have been dialoguing and moving motions without actions but now it’s time for action.
Mr Yusuf added that the N50 billion earned allowance retains the first spot on the demands, describing the disbursement as not only unjust but wicked.
“We have made our demands. Number one on our demands is the wicked and unjust disbursement of N50 billion allowances. How can you give N40 billion to ASUU and give SSANU just N10 billion. What kind of progress can this nation make by treating the education workers this way?
“We want the public to know that we are fathers and mothers, strike is the least of things that we want to pursue but when our demands are not met, we have to speak the language that the government understands.
He urged the federal government to pay the arrears without further delay, warning that the sweat of the workers must not go to waste.
FG appeals to ASUU to shelve strike
In reaction to the 14-day ultimatum given by ASUU, the Federal Government appealed to the union to shelve its planned strike, insisting that it remains committed to resolving outstanding grievances.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, who briefed journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, said Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu had directed all relevant agencies to do everything possible to prevent another disruption in the academic calendar.
“The President has kept his promises. We have released N50 billion for earned allowances and made provisions for N150 billion in the 2025 budget to revitalise tertiary institutions. This administration is determined to resolve these issues once and for all.”
Mr Alausa disclosed that the Mahmud Yayale Ahmed Committee had been reconstituted to conclude negotiations with both academic and non-academic unions. “We are finalising the government’s counter-offer to ASUU, and we hope to reach a resolution soon,” he added.