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.

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.  

SSANU Alleges Abandonment, Threatens Strike

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, (SSANU) has alleged abandonment by the Federal Government. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the President of SSANU Mohammed Ibrahim, accused the Federal Government of treating its members and that of the Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, (NASU) with “disdain”.  “We have to speak like this because we have been clearly shown that we do not matter in the system. But we all know that there is no university that can function without the non-teaching staff because we are majorly populated by professionals. We own the engine of the administration of every university. They are treating this segment of staff with some disdain. It does not speak good of the system,” he said during the show. He said the SSANU and NASU are yet to get a “dime” since President Tinubu’s approval of the payment of the salary backlog. “We have been waiting and our patience is running out,” the SSANU leader said. President Bola Tinubu, had directed the payment of withheld salaries for university workers owing to their strike of 2022. But SSANU, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) said they are yet to get salaries for the said period, threatening to go on strike.