Striking university unions; the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), have asked the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to pay their four months’ withheld salaries, following approval of the payment by President Bola Tinubu.
The unions said they would not meet or negotiate with the Federal Government, charging the finance minister to do the needful and remit the withheld salaries electronically to all their members.
While speaking on a television programme, yesterday, SSANU President, Muhammed Ibrahim said the President had approved, and the Ministry of Education had conveyed the approval, stressing that it is within the precinct of the Ministry of Finance to do what is required of it.
“The President has approved; the Ministry of Education has conveyed the approval. It is within the precinct of the Ministry of Finance.
“So, the Minister of Finance should just do the needful. That’s all,” he said.
Recall that the unions last Monday commenced an indefinite nationwide strike within campuses of public universities to demand the immediate release of their four months’ withheld salaries.
The two unions said it was appalling that despite several ultimatums issued to the government, no positive result has come from the government.
The two unions directed their members in all public universities and inter-university centres throughout the country to “hold a joint congress in their respective campuses on Monday, October 28, 2024, and proceed on an indefinite, comprehensive and total strike action as no concession should be given in any guise”.
The SSANU President said the government contacted the striking unions on Monday but the meeting was nothing to look forward to because of the failed negotiations.
He said, “Well, in terms of reaching out, yes, informally, we have been reached out to but we are not too excited about it because we have had it several times but we hope that this time it will be different.
“There is a very short and fast way to solve this problem. Every process and procedure has been followed. What is remaining is for the payment to be made.
“The government should just direct that these payments should be released, with the touch of a button, because everything is electronic now. “Once the payments are made, we will resume back to work. Nobody is happy. Prolonged renegotiation won’t achieve any result. What we want is action.”
