NASU, SSANU Suspend Strike Action
The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU) on Saturday suspended their strike actions after a brief meeting with the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu in Abuja.
A press statement signed by Comrade Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary NASU and Spokesman of Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU (JAC) on Saturday and made available to journalists in Abuja, in full read: “The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) hereby announces the suspension of its ongoing strike effective from Wednesday, 24 August 2022 for initial two months.
“This follows that conclusion of negotiation between JAC and the federal government team led by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.
“The two months is to allow government implement the agreements reached.
“Part of the agreement is the decision of the government to set aside the sum of N50 billion for the payment of earned academic and earned allowances, cogent decision on the University Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (U3PS), release of the white paper on university visitation panel and funding of the universities.
“On the poor funding of federal institutions, the minister said he directed the National Universities Commission (NUC) to ensure that all the schools are up-to-date on what they are supposed to do, otherwise sanctions will be visited on any institution that defaults.
“The Minister of Education also gave an assurance that no member of the unions that participated in the strike will be victimised.
“The Minister said President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to devout 15 per cent of the national budget to education.
“On the salary payment system, the minister said the alternative payment systems provided by ASUU JAC of NASU and SSANU did very well. He added that the Federal Government is awaiting the report of the technical committee it set up before taking action on the matter.
“The spokesman of JAC, Peters Adeyemi said after a very prolonged negotiations and dialogue between the two unions and the Federal Government led by the Minister of Education and after the meeting, the two unions decided to suspend the strike for the initial period of two months.
“When we presented the offers that the government made to our members, they think that since the majority of the issues that are in contention have been substantially addressed by the government, the strike is hereby suspended effective this Wednesday, 24 August 2022.”