FG releases funds for NASU salaries, retirees’ benefits

The Federal Government has released funds to settle outstanding salaries owed to members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Federal Universities. The release is also meant for the settlement of the benefits of retirees under the Nigerian Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme. In a statement on Saturday by Bawa Mokwa, Director, Press and Public Relations, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation confirmed that payments to NASU members have commenced, with many already confirming receipt. The statement read, “The Federal Government has released funds for payment of withheld salary of Non-Academic Staff Union of Federal Universities. “According to the OAGF, the Federal Government has also released funds for payment of benefits to retirees under the Nigerian Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector. “The OAGF said payments to the Non-Academic Staff of Federal Universities had commenced and many have confirmed receipt.” The OAGF reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers and retirees. On Monday, the Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU embarked on an indefinite strike over its four months of withheld salary.Since then, activities have been grounded in universities across the country. In an earlier interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday, the National President of SSANU, Mr.Mohammed Ibrahim, stated that university executives, including vice-chancellors, bursars, and registrars, did not receive salaries for four months. He said as a result, the universities would remain completely shut down until the payments were made.

Police condemned for restricting peaceful NASU, SSANU protest in Abuja

By Doris Isreal Ijeoma The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticized the Nigeria Police Force for restricting a peaceful protest by non-teaching staff unions in Nigerian universities. Benson Upah, NLC’s head of information, made the statement on Thursday in Abuja. The protesting unions include the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU). The police had prevented these unions from proceeding with their planned street protest in Abuja, aimed at addressing their four months of unpaid salaries and other related issues. The protesters had gathered at the Unity Fountain with plans to march to the ministries of education and labour and employment to submit their letters to the ministers. However, they were restricted to the Unity Fountain. FCT Commissioner of Police Beneth Igwe had informed the union members that the protest was confined to the Unity Fountain for security reasons. Upah noted that the peaceful protest by NASU and SSANU was a last resort after all other avenues to secure their salaries had been exhausted, especially since workers from other unions had already been paid for the same strike action. He argued that the police’s actions breach the 1999 Constitution (as amended), ILO Conventions 87 and 98, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee freedom of association and speech. ”It is a violation of the Supreme Court ruling that citizens do not need the permit or approval of the police to peacefully protest and an insult to the dignity of self-respecting and law-abiding citizens. “In light of this, we demand an immediate police apology to NASU and SSANU members whom they violated. “We also demand the immediate payment of the withheld salaries. “We had had cause to write to government as well as issued a press statement on this matter in the recent past. “Government will be courting a major national industrial protest if it continues to ignore our wise counsel,” he said.

BREAKING:Heavy Security As SSANU, NASU Members Gather In Abuja For Nationwide Protest

By Doris Isreal Ijeoma There is heavy security at the Unity Fountain in Abuja as a group of demonstrators from the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) gathered to participate in a nationwide protest. Several protesters have already arrived at the Unity Fountain, but some have been prevented from entering by security personnel. Following some commotion from the protesters, the gate has been opened, and the demonstrators have now used their trucks to block the entrance to the Unity Fountain. The protesters are calling for the release of their four months’ unpaid salaries and the reevaluation of the 2010 agreement with the Federal Government, among other requests. In 2022, both unions, along with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, went on a prolonged strike. While the SSANU and NASU strikes lasted four months, the ASUU strike continued for eight months. Despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive for the affected staff to receive their four-month salaries, SSANU and NASU members allege that they have not been paid, unlike ASUU members. Both unions have urged their members to participate in a nationwide protest on July 9 at all state chapters, with a subsequent national protest planned for Abuja today.

BREAKING: SSANU, NASU Declare 7 Days Warning Strike

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have declared a 7-day warning strike to demand the payment of four months of withheld salaries of their members, after the 2022 nationwide strike. The decision was part of the resolution of the joint action committee of the two unions, after a meeting which held in Akure at the weekend. Recall that President Bola Tinubu had directed that workers in the public universities that embarked on a prolonged strike in 2022 but were not paid salaries within the period of the strike by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari should be paid for four months. While the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation has paid the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the four months as directed by the President, the three unions of non teaching staff are yet to be paid.  

Recent Attack On Joe Ajaero Violates His Human Rights- NASU

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has strongly condemned the recent attack on Mr. Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). The union’s reaction to the incident was conveyed through a statement signed by its General Secretary, Mr. Peters Adeyemi, in Abuja on Sunday. Ajaero fell victim to the attack in Imo State on November 1 when he traveled to the Southeastern state to declare a mass protest against alleged anti-labour practices. The Witness had reported that Ajaero was subsequently detained by the police, although the police claimed that they took him into custody to protect him from further attacks by hoodlums. Adeyemi firmly asserted that the attack on the union leader amounted to “a violation of trade union rights as well as the human rights of Ajaero.” He emphasized that the rights exercised by Ajaero in Owerri, as the leader of Nigeria’s working people, are guaranteed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) and International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions. “Nigeria, as an ILO member-state, has ratified ILO Conventions on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, 1948 (No.87), and the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining, 1949 (No.98),” Adeyemi said, pointing out that the Imo government has been involved in unfair labour practices, as it has failed to pay salaries and pensions, making it unjustifiable to attack workers’ union leaders who inquire about the non-payment of these dues. He noted that Ajaero was on a solidarity visit to the workers in Imo and should not have been subjected to treatment “common in Nigeria only during military regimes.” NASU further rejected the claims that Ajaero was held under “protective custody” for his own benefit and called on President Bola Tinubu to initiate a thorough investigation into the incident. The union concluded by saying that it firmly believes that such incidents should not deter the exercise of fundamental human rights, including those related to labour and trade union activities.