The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has issued a fresh demand to the Federal Government for the immediate release of the remaining two months’ withheld salaries owed to its members following the 2022 nationwide university strike.
The union also expressed frustration over the persistent delays in salary payments to federal university workers, often weeks after other federal employees have received their wages.
These concerns were among key resolutions reached at the 51st National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of SSANU, held at Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the NEC meeting, signed by the SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, the union called for the urgent harmonisation of salary disbursement processes across all federal and state-owned institutions to ensure equity, fairness, and industrial harmony within Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
SSANU also condemned the continued silence of the Federal Government’s Renegotiation Committee regarding the long-delayed 2009 FG/SSANU Agreement. The union demanded the immediate resumption and timely conclusion of the renegotiation process, warning that further delays could trigger fresh industrial action across universities nationwide.
The communiqué further criticised the inequitable distribution of the recently approved ₦50 billion Earned Allowance, where only 20 per cent — amounting to ₦10 billion — was allocated to the three non-teaching unions: SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
“This allocation is unjust, discriminatory, and undermines the invaluable contributions of SSANU members to the effective functioning of Nigerian universities. It also breaches the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU in August 2022,” the communiqué stated.
The union condemned what it described as a “persistent disregard” for Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), Memoranda of Action, and other collectively bargained agreements reached with the government, insisting that such agreements, having been signed through mutual negotiations, must be honoured fully.
SSANU further lamented the worsening security situation across the country, especially the recent wave of violent attacks in Benue, Plateau, and other states. The union called for the immediate declaration of a national emergency on security and urged the government to overhaul the nation’s security infrastructure, invest in modern technology, and tackle the underlying causes of insecurity such as poverty, youth unemployment, and social injustice.
On the economic front, the union criticised recent government reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and currency unification, which it said have triggered soaring inflation, escalating food prices, and declining purchasing power, leaving Nigerian workers and citizens under immense financial strain.
To cushion the economic hardship, SSANU demanded the implementation of targeted social protection measures such as food subsidies, fuel vouchers, and conditional cash transfers for vulnerable groups and low-income earners.
“NEC calls on the Federal Government to demonstrate sincerity, responsiveness, and political will in addressing our demands. SSANU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to promoting equity, professionalism, and good governance within the Nigerian university system and the broader national landscape,” the communiqué concluded.
