The leadership of both the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have directed their members across university and inter-university centre campuses nationwide to withdraw services beginning from today March 18th.
The seven-day industrial action, according to a memo addressed to the branches of the unions and dated Friday, 15 March, is in fulfilment of the earlier threat and ultimatum issued to the Nigerian government by the unions over the unpaid withheld salaries of their members.
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The memo, which was issued by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of both SSANU and NASU, and signed by the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, and the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, urged the branch leaders to ensure total compliance to the directive.
JAC blamed the Nigerian government for allowing the matter to degenerate, querying the justification for the payment of the withheld salaries of the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) but decided to leave out their members.
The memo reads in part: “Please note that the 7-day warning strike should be comprehensive and total as no concession should be given in any guise. Your strict compliance and adherence to this directive is mandatory for all NASU and SSANU branches in the Universities and Inter-University Centres.”