Varsity workers embark on their own hunger protest, emulating ASUU
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
University workers have staged their own hunger protest, coming after years of protests and strikes by lecturers in the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the last of which lasted eight months in 2022 – with the problem still not fully resolved two years on.
The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) and their counterparts in other states on Tuesday protested over the government’s failure to pay their salaries withheld for four months.
The workers massed out on their campuses to express their grievances and told the government they are hungry, the same point other citizens have made to the Bola Tinubu administration in several other protests for months.
The protesters marched around UNIABUJA for hours and warned it is the beginning of a series of union actions that could lead to a complete shutdown of universities North and South next week.
SSANU Chairman Nurudeen Yusuf and NASU Chairperson Sadiya Hassan expressed the frustration of the unions at the government’s broken promises and demanded the release of their withheld salaries.
They warned they would no longer accept empty promises from the government, insisting promises alone cannot feed their families or pay children’s school fees.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) representing NASU and SSANU has been grappling with longstanding issues about welfare and university education.
The unions highlighted the non-payment of salaries for four consecutive months exacerbated by the government’s selective implementation of directives, favouring academic staff over non-teaching personnel.
The unions embarked on strike in 2022 due to the government’s failure to honour multiple agreements. But Tinubu in 2023 directed the payment of withheld salaries and excluded universities from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
However, nine months after the directive, the unions accused the government of Orwellian implementation, where “all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
They urged Education Minister Tahir Mamman to tackle the issues promptly and stop playing the ostrich, and Labour and Employment Minister Simon Lalong to prevent further disruptions to the academic calendar.
Repeated reneging on agreements breaks trust
SSANU and NASU also implored members of the National Assembly and opinion influencers to intervene.
“This repeated reneging on agreements is eroding the trust of our members in government and its officials, and one wonders if they are truly committed to a qualitative education for the children of the masses,” they said.
“Our hope was renewed when the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the campaigns assured all Nigerians that there will be no more strikes in Nigerian universities.
“Today’s protest signals the beginning of a series of union actions which will culminate in the shutdown of all universities in Nigeria. This action is preventable and avoidable; we therefore call on the Minister of Education to sit up and stop playing the ostrich.
“We equally call on the Minister of Labour and Employment to use her good offices to prevent industrial disharmony and disaffection in our universities, causing unnecessary disruption in our academic calendar and activities.
“We can no longer accept empty promises. They don’t put food on our tables nor pay our children’s school fees.”
University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) NASU branch said its members on low salaries can no longer afford food, transportation, and other basic necessities.
UNILORIN NASU Chairman Zubair Ibrahim, who led his colleagues in a peaceful protest on their demand for a living wage, explained their agitation is over salary arrears owed members.
“We are hungry and we cannot die in silence. Members are finding it difficult to survive,” he insisted.
Previous appeals for payment unheeded
Ibrahim lamented the failure of the government to address their demands even after their warning strike some months ago, adding appeals for the payment of their withheld salaries fell on deaf ears.
He
- Recounted NASU and SSANU had earlier given the government a two-week ultimatum to meet their demands or face industrial action and
- Demanded the immediate payment of the withheld salaries and 25 per cent allowance.
UNILORIN SSANU Chairman Olushola Falowo expressed dismay the government is not sensitive to their plight.
SSANU National Financial Jimoh Akanbi argued minimum wage for workers is constitutional and should be of priority to the government.
“ASUU has been paid their withheld salaries and we appeal that our own should be paid too, he said.
The two unions at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi also staged a protest and implored Tinubu to immediately sack Lalong and Mamman.
SSANU said the two Ministers have failed to address the unions’ plight.
The protesters lamented the Tinubu administration has failed to address their demands such as wage awards, payment of four months’ withheld salaries and other allowances.
Tinubu government a failure, says JAC Chairman
JAC Chairman Sulisma Jatau said: “Tinubu’s government is a failure. We have given him enough time. He promised that he was coming in to fix the nation. He has been longing to govern this country and with what he is doing, it means he never had plans on how to govern this country.
“Hardship in the country is too much, suffering is too much. We are suffering, people are dying. They have money to buy private jets, they have money to build a house for the Vice President when people are dying of hunger.
“Our entitlements should be paid to us. That is all, we are tired of empty promises. You can see all of us, we are looking haggard, we are not happy and this time around, we are serious and we won’t take it lightly. He has failed, that’s all.”
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