FG Meeting With University Workers Ends In Deadlock As Strike Continues

Efforts by the federal government to resolve the ongoing strike by university workers across Nigeria hit a deadlock on Friday, as discussions with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational (NASU) and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) yielded no agreement.

The meeting, chaired by former Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu at the Federal Ministry of Education, was aimed at addressing the grievances that led to the indefinite strike, which commenced Monday over withheld salaries and other demands.

Speaking with journalists, Sununu, who represented the new Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said, “We reviewed the reasons for the strike and briefed the unions on the ongoing efforts by the Federal Ministry of Education to resolve the issues. The discussions are at an advanced stage, and we are committed to finding a comprehensive solution that will bring stability to our educational system.”

Despite assurances from the ministry, the talks ended in a stalemate, with union representatives expressing skepticism.

A member of the striking university staff who spoke with journalists remarked that the government’s promise lacked a clear timeline for payment, leaving them unable to rely on assurances alone, given past unmet promises.

The industrial action, triggered by withheld salaries spanning four months, has disrupted academic and administrative activities on campuses nationwide.

Both NASU and SSANU have insisted that their demands must be met before they consider returning to work, citing a need for concrete commitments from the government.

The government has pledged to continue working closely with the unions to end the crisis, but with no resolution in sight, the strike’s impact on Nigeria’s higher education sector continues to deepen.