Withdrawn Salary: SSANU Reveals When It Will Call Off Strike

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has announced that it will maintain its ongoing strike until members receive payment for four months of withheld salaries.

SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim clarified this during an interview on Monday on Channels TV’s Politics Today.

The strike, jointly declared by SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), began on Sunday night in response to what union leaders describe as the government’s failure to fulfill its financial obligations.

Ibrahim accused the Ministry of Finance of withholding the salaries, noting that the unions had been “shortchanged.”

He also stated that while meetings with relevant ministers are scheduled, the priority remains the immediate payment of all owed salaries.

He noted that repeated efforts to secure an audience with the Minister of Finance had so far been unsuccessful.

The indefinite strike has paralyzed non-academic activities in public universities nationwide, with union leaders asserting that the government’s actions leave them no choice but to continue the industrial action until they receive payment confirmation.

Ibrahim said, “Today’s strike is not something that has happened suddenly. We have to come to reality with the demands given to us by our members. Adequate notification had been forwarded to the government. No one in the government can say that he is oblivious of this.

“I can confirm to you that we were contacted yesterday (Sunday) and this morning (Monday) by former Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, speaking at the instance of the new minister. We are scheduled to meet within the week to see how to sort out this problem. We have made it very clear, meeting with four ministers. It is not the issue of meeting.

“The issue is that we want payment and every procedure has been followed. They can simply direct payment of the money. I assure you that in less than 24 hours we will refer back to our principal and the strike will be suspended.”

When asked if they would only call off the strike when they receive an alert, Ibrahim said, “That is it. Unless we get alerts, the strike continues.”