University crises to worsen as NASU, SSANU announce indefinite strike

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) say they will embark on an indefinite strike, if government fails to meet their demands.

The unions under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) stated this through their spokesperson, Prince Adeyemi, during a news conference on Wednesday, in Abuja.

It could be recalled that members of the unions had embarked on two weeks warning strike that expired on midnight of April 10.

The union’s demands include the inconsistencies in payment with Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System(IPPIS), non-payment of Earned Allowances, non-payment of arrears of National Minimum Wage and its consequential adjustment.

Others are: poor funding of state universities, delay in renegotiation of the 2009 agreements, non-release of white papers of visitation panels, non-payment of retirement benefits to outcome members, among others.

JAC had resolved that following the failure of government to invite the leaderships for a meeting, the strike should be extended before an indefinite and total strike is declared.

Mr Adeyemi said the strike was borne out of the non-responsive nature of the government and its officials to matters affecting the members of the NASU and SSANU and by extension, the entire university system.

Mr Adeyemi, however, gave conditions upon which their industrial action might be suspended.

He insisted that government should jettison the IPPIS for the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System (U3PS) developed by the non-academic unions.

He also insisted that the N30 billion as Earned Allowances, which is a product of the FGN/NASU and SSANU 2009 Agreements should be paid immediately.