Pay NASU, SSANU's withheld salaries, NLC tells FG

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is demanding the prompt payment of withheld salaries owed to the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

Joe Ajaero, the President of NLC, emphasized the urgency of settling the four months’ worth of outstanding salaries by the federal government to prevent disruptions in the academic sector.

In a statement released in Abuja on Monday, Ajaero noted that as public universities are gradually regaining public trust, initiating another strike due to salary arrears would be detrimental.

It will be recalled that the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU had issued a circular to its members to proceed on seven-day warning strike from 18th of March over non-payment of the salaries as approved by President Bola Tinubu.

The four months withheld salaries arose from the nationwide strike embarked upon by all unions in the public universities in the country.

While the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was paid the withheld salaries in full, NASU and SSANU were allegedly denied of the full payment.

Ajaero said: “There has been no credible reason or explanation for withholding those salaries in the first place.

“We recall this singular act plunged the members into indescribable hardship.

“Much worse, it defies logic to try to subject members of these unions to discriminatory treatment.

“By so doing, government is clearly courting avoidable industrial dispute,” he said.

The NLC president stressed that the effects of the strike on the parties would be unacceptably high, especially for students and parents.

He, therefore, urged the government to expeditiously pay up the outstanding salaries. 

“We advise government not to take for granted the maturity of these unions,” he said.