Strike: SSANU To Shutdown Hostels, Power Supply In Universities

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)  has warned that if the Federal Government does not respond to their demands by Monday, March 18, 2024, they will close all university hostels and cut off all university power.

Naija News reports that SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim disclosed that his members, who include vice-chancellors, registrars, and bursars, have not received their 2022 arrears during his appearance as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.

“To surprise you, even Vice Chancellors are involved in this because VCs have not been paid, registrars have not been paid, bursars have not been paid,” Ibrahim stated.

He stated that several colleges are presently hosting their semesters’ associations, but “it’s rather regrettable that we have to make this difficult decision. Some of us have children at these schools, but when we strike, everything becomes grounded.”

“Shutting down the university is clearly beyond how it will affect the students because it’s everybody; there will be no electricity, there will be no water, there will be no security, there will be no hostels for students, and there will be no administration,” he added.

The SSANU head criticized the Federal Government for paying withheld salary to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) but ignoring other unions such as SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).

Recall that the unions had declared an eight-month strike in 2022 to fight for some of their objectives, including an improved welfare package. The administration of then-President Muhammadu Buhari then implemented a ‘No Work, No Pay policy’ against the unions, but President Bola Tinubu last October allowed the release of four of the eight months’ delayed salary for ASUU members.

Earlier on Monday, Naija News reported that SSANU and NASU declared a seven-day warning strike beginning March 18, 2024, to demand payment of four months’ delayed earnings.

He maintained that if nothing is done by next Monday, SANU will launch an industrial strike. He accused the Accountant General’s office, through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) office, of treating SSANU and NASU with contempt, despite the President’s orders requiring all unions that participated in the 2022 industrial action to be paid.