The Joint Action Committee, JAC, of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and their Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU counterparts, Federal University of Technology, Minna, have joined their colleagues across the country to protest what they have termed as injustice in the payment of their withheld salaries by the Federal Government.
The protesting unions have also advised the government to avoid a total breakdown of university education across the country, by hastening action in the implementation of their demands.
As early as 8 a.m., the protesting members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, (SSANU), and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, (NASU), had gathered at the entrance of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, to demand the release of their withheld salaries.
The action caused some holdups on the major roads in the university for some hours, from where they went to the Senate Building and blocked the entrance too.
The aggrieved workers had several inscriptions on their placards as they marched around the university campus, calling on the Federal Government to release their withheld salaries, and implement other outstanding demands.
Both unions, while handing over their letters of grievance to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Faruk Kuta, warned that if within a short period their demands are not met, the fate of millions of university students will be left hanging, as they will speak the language the government would understand better.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Faruk Kuta, promised that the Committee of Vice-chancellors will immediately take up the issues, and see that there is no breakdown of academic activities.
Other demands put forward by both unions are the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, stopping the usurpation of the headship of Non-teaching staff schedules of duty, and discrimination against non-teaching staff.
The rest are demands for the payment of the 50 billion Naira earned allowance, payment of outstanding wage awards, increased funding of the universities in accordance with global best standards, as well as payment of arrears of 25–35 percent of salary increases.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
