FG releases withheld salaries of striking non-teaching staff in federal varsities

The federal government has released the withheld salaries of striking non-academic staff in federal universities.

Bawa Mokwa, the director of press at the office of the accountant-general of the federation (OSGF), spoke to TheCable on Saturday.

He said disbursement covers the benefits payable to retirees under the contributory pension scheme of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners.

On October 28, non-teaching staff unions in federal universities began an indefinite nationwide strike over withheld salaries from 2022.

The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) are key stakeholders.

Mokwa said the payment of withheld salaries has commenced and non-academic staff of federal universities have confirmed receipt.

He said the federal government is committed to the welfare of Nigerian workers and retirees.

In 2022, the federal government, under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, withheld the salaries of university staff who participated in an eight-month strike.

In October 2023, President Bola Tinubu approved the release of four months of the withheld salaries of public university teaching staff.

Left out, non-teaching staff unions including SSANU and NASU accused the government of unfair treatment and discrimination.

In July, SSANU and NASU planned a pre-strike protest to evoke a federal response on the unpaid salaries.

The unions had been in a prolonged negotiation with the labour, education, and finance ministries over the matter.