Kehinde Fajobi
The Federal Government has urged the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) to suspend their strike, which has now entered its fifth day.
The appeal was made by outgoing Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, who led a government delegation in discussions with union leaders on Thursday.
Representing the new Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alaussa, Sununu reiterated that steps were being taken to address the issues leading to the industrial action.
Public universities across Nigeria have remained closed since Monday due to the indefinite strike, prompted by the government’s failure to release four months of withheld salaries from 2022.
During the meeting, Dr. Sununu assured the union leaders of the government’s commitment to resolving the matter, stating, “We have reviewed the reasons for the strike and briefed them on the Federation Ministry of Education’s efforts to resolve the issues.”
He added that discussions had reached an advanced stage and appealed for cooperation from union members to achieve a stable academic environment.
Comrade Hassan Makolo, chairman of the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU, expressed optimism regarding the meeting’s outcomes.
He indicated that the unions would suspend the strike once their members confirm the receipt of the withheld salaries, saying, “We had a productive discussion… By the time our members receive payment alerts, the strike will be over.”
Makolo further noted that the unions are hopeful these commitments will prevent future disputes over similar issues.