‘Why Should Our Case Be Different?’ SSANU Drags FG Over Non Payment Of Withheld Salaries

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU) has hinted that it will ground activities in all Nigerian universities if the withheld salaries of its members are not paid as soon as possible.

SSANU in its reaction to the exclusion of members of the union from the payment of the salaries withheld by the Federal Government queried the payment to only members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

ValidViewNetwork had earlier reported that lecturers across the country had started receiving their salaries which was withheld during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari had invoked a ‘No Work, No Pay policy’ against ASUU and SSANU during the 2022 strike which crippled activities within the Nigerian universities.

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However, President Bola Tinubu, in October 2023 approved the release of four of the eight months ASUU’s withheld salaries.

The National President of SSANU, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, in an interview with The PUNCH reportedly lamented that the exclusion complained bitterly about the union’s exclusion from was a great injustice against SSANU. Ibrahim further clarified that SSANU was in no way angry that ASUU was paid but it deserved to be paid too.

“This is just terrible, we found out that only ASUU’s payment was approved. As it is, there is tension on all the campuses we are not angry that they are paying ASUU, but they should know that it is not only ASUU that went on strike.

“Why should our case be different? The government should pay everyone who works in the university. We can’t guarantee continuous peace in our universities. We have written to the Chief of Staff and Minister of Education and we escalated it to Nigeria Labour Congress. There is a palpable danger if SSANU are not paid their backlog.”

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“We found out at the Chief Accountant General office that it was only ASUU that was approved, we also have confirmation from IPPIS that the payment does not include SSANU.”

He hinted that SSANU members would meet today ( Tuesday) to take a decision on the development.

Ibrahim said, “Our members will meet tonight, or tomorrow morning to decide. We are under pressure; this is a clear injustice as no university can operate without the non-teaching staff.”

According to the National Vice-President, SSANU, Abdussobur Salaam, said, “The Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU should therefore not be held responsible should the wheel of administration and corporate governance be grounded to a halt, as we have exercised enough patience with the government, especially in the face of the harsh economic conditions occasioned by policies of the current administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”