The Federal Government has released funds to pay the withheld salaries of members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU). The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) made the announcement on Saturday. Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the OAGF, said the government has also allocated money to pay benefits for retirees under the Nigerian Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector (NUPCPS).
Many NASU members have already confirmed receiving their salaries. The financial release is expected to help university staff who are facing money problems. “The Federal Government remains committed to efficiently catering to the welfare of Nigerian workers and retirees,” the OAGF statement said.
This is part of the government’s efforts to address salary issues and support federal university staff, some of whom had gone on strike. However, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and NASU have declared an indefinite strike across all state and federal universities in Nigeria. The strike is set to start on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.
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Federal government resolves NASU salary arrears
Frankilin Duru, a leader of SSANU at the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), said, “It will be a total withdrawal of our services across all universities in Nigeria, including the office of the Vice Chancellor, the office of the Registrar, student affairs, and everywhere.”
The unions are unhappy that the government paid the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) four months’ salary arrears after an eight-month strike last year, but did not pay SSANU and NASU.
“We have written numerous times to the involved ministries but have yet to receive those salaries,” Mr. Duru said. The unions are also demanding the release of their earned allowances over the years, which the government still owes them.
Members of SSANU and NASU include nurses, accountants, clerks, and engineers who work in various departments of the universities. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of non-teaching staff unions in universities, University of Ilorin and University of Jos chapters, have also joined the nationwide strike. Mr.
Suberu Ibrahim, the NASU chairman of the Unilorin Branch, said the strike action would be total and indefinite. Anthony Joro, SSANU Chairman, University of Jos, said, “Since President Tinubu’s approval of our unpaid salaries, the sister unions in the university like ASUU, for example, have been paid four months of their salaries. We have to embark on the strike for the government to know that we have not been paid.”
