The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) on Thursday staged a protest in Abuja, demanding the immediate implementation of agreements reached with the Federal Government.
The protest, held at Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja), was part of a nationwide demonstration across various university campuses.
In Abuja, the protest was led by Comrade Nurudeen Yusuf, chairman of SSANU, and Comrade Sadiya Ibrahim Hassan, chairperson of NASU, both from the Yakubu Gowon University chapter.
The unions accused the Federal Government of neglect, lack of sincerity, and repeated breaches of collective agreements signed since 2022.
Addressing journalists, Comrade Yusuf said the protest became necessary after several ignored appeals, warnings, and ultimatums to the government.
He listed six unresolved issues fueling the protest, including the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/NASU/SSANU agreements, non-payment of approved 25% and 35% salary increments, and unfair disbursement of N50 billion earned allowances. Other grievances include the non-payment of two months’ withheld salaries from 2022, failure to remit third-party deductions, and general neglect of non-teaching staff welfare in universities.
Yusuf lamented that the 2009 agreements were meant to be reviewed every three years but had been left unattended for over a decade despite multiple committees set up since 2012. He described the process as “an endless cycle of meetings without progress.”
“This protest aims to highlight the growing crisis in the university system caused by government’s failure to honor its promises,” he said. “The current situation is unsustainable due to the government’s insincerity regarding the plight of NASU and SSANU members.”
Comrade Sadiya Hassan, NASU chairperson, criticized the government for repeatedly creating new committees instead of implementing existing resolutions.
“The last meeting we had with the government was on October 6, following another on September 22. Instead of taking action, they set up another committee—the Expanded Yayale Ahmed Committee. These issues don’t need new committees; what’s needed is the release of withheld salaries and arrears as a sign of good faith,” she stated.
The unions dismissed the Minister of Education’s claim that 80% of government promises had been fulfilled, insisting that none of their six core demands had been met.
NASU National President, Dr. Makolo Hasan, who joined the protest in solidarity, said the government’s failure to act was a clear violation of the 2022 collective bargaining agreement.
He explained that the unions had earlier issued a one-week warning strike in September, later extended by two weeks, yet no commitments were honored.
“We have been patient, but nothing has changed. This protest is a warning. If the government remains indifferent, we will be forced to escalate,” Hasan warned.
The union leaders urged the Federal Government to take immediate action to prevent another major shutdown of the nation’s university system.
