By Joan Nwagwu
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions(NASU), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities
(SSANU), has given the Federal Government two weeks ultimatum to pay their four months withheld salaries.
The unions under the Joint Action Committee(JAC), stated this in a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman on Thursday in Abuja.
The letter titled, “Re-Four months withheld salaries: Demand for immediate payment,” was signed by NASU General Secretary, Mr Peters Adeyemi and SSANU President, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim.
According to the letter, the Honourable Minister would recall that the JAC of NASU and SSANU embarked on a one week warning strike between March 18th, 2024 and March 24th 2024.
“This is to protest the denial of the arrears of four months salaries withheld between May and August 24th, 2022.
“Following series of letters and the assurances of the payment, we write to remind the Honourable Minister of our various letters, engagements, assurances towards the payment of the four (4) months withheld salaries of SSANU and NASU.
“We wish to express our regrets and dismay that up till date, the withheld salaries have not been paid to our members.
“We view it as an act of insincerity and neglect on the part of government to the yearnings and aspirations of our members,”it said.
The unions therefore said that the government had negated the spirit of collective bargaining that had built distrust.
It added that the deafening silence of government and failure to pay the withheld salaries is creating high level of agitations and contentions among our members in the Universities and Inter-University Centres.
“This is such that we can no longer guarantee industrial peace and harmony on university campuses.
“We therefore demand the immediate payment of the four months withheld salaries to our members not later than two weeks from the date of this correspondence.
“Failing, which we will be left with no option than to shut down the Universities and Inter-University Centre,”it said.