Non-teaching staff in federal varsities to meet over balance of withheld salaries

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has called on the federal government to pay the three months left of its withheld salaries.

The union, whose members constitute part of the non-teaching staff in federal universities, said up to N50 billion in earned allowances are also expected.

Mohammed Ibrahim, the national president of SSANU, spoke on Friday in Abuja ahead of its third quadrennial delegates conference.

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

The unions involved were the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the SSANU.

On November 2, the federal government released at least a month’s worth of the withheld salaries of these workers alongside some pending benefits of retirees.

On November 3, NASU and SSANU wrote to their state chairpersons nationwide and directed a suspension of the strike from November 5.

It had said the federal government was still to pay about three months of the withheld salaries.

The 2024 delegates conference of SSANU will be held on November 13 with the theme “Respecting Collective Bargaining Agreement and Industrial Peace in a Democracy”.

Ibrahim said the integrity of agreements between non-academic university staff and the government is essential for ensuring the sustainability of tertiary institutions.

“The disregard for or non-implementation of these agreements only undermines trust and disrupts the academic environment,” he said.

“As we convene, we also wish to address key ongoing issues in active discussions with the federal government.

“Specifically, we are revisiting the matters of the outstanding three months’ withheld salaries, the ₦50 billion in Earned Allowances, arrears of the 25/35 percent increment, and the wage award.

“We recognise that the government has begun payment of one month from the four months of withheld salaries. We are hopeful this marks progress toward fulfilling these commitments.”

Ibrahim said SSANU’s upcoming delegates conference would also mark the commencement of its electoral process where a new leadership would be elected to serve for the next four years.