UniAbuja SSANU, NAAT, NASU suspend strike

The University of Abuja (UniAbuja) branch of the Joint Action Committee comprising Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) has suspended its four month old strike.

The unions downed tools on Dec. 4, 2017 over Federal Government’s failure to pay their earned allowances.

Addressing newsmen on behalf of others, at the end of their congress meeting in Abuja, the Chairman of SSANU, UniAbuja, Malam Hassan Shallangwa, said there were positive signs from the government.

He said that government’s posture might eventually lead to the final negotiated resolution of the issues that led to the action in the first place; hence the decision to suspend strike.

“So far, there is a good negotiation that has been taking place. It has been intensified by the government; that is why they have been making effort to see that everything is being settled.

‘’I assure all of you that we have fought the good fight; our effort will not be in vain; you will see our effort very soon by the special grace of God.

“ In view of that, the happenings in our campus which we all testify, our children have been suffering since they resumed this session; you can see that most of the things in the university have totally collapsed.

‘’ Based on the meetings held on March 6  and March 8, we were meant to understand that  government are to release the sum of N8billion to JAC, including some academic staff of University of Ilorin(UniIlorin) and University of Nigeria, Nsukka(UNN).

“The strike is hereby suspended to allow for full resolution of the matter,’’ he said.

The agreement which led to the suspension of the strike was signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah; SSANU President,  Samson Ugokwe; NAAT President, Sani Suleiman and NASU  General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi.

An excerpt from the agreement reads, “Government is to source for N8billion within five weeks to pay JAC of SSANU, NAAT and NASU members and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in UNN and UniIlorin, who did not get paid in the last disbursement exercise.