The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities have started a one-day nationwide protest over their four-month withheld salaries.
Their protest has caused disruption in administrative work at universities and inter-university centers.
Starting at 7:30 am, union members gathered at the popular Unity Fountain in Abuja. From there, they planned to march to the Federal Ministries of Education and Labour and Employment.
General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, said letters would be presented to both ministries. “We are asking the Federal Government to pay us what you owe us,” he stated.
The unions said that meetings with the government about the withheld salaries have not led to any positive results.
Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, invoked the ‘No work, no pay’ policy when the four university-based unions went on a prolonged strike in 2022. As a result, the salaries of members who participated in the strike were withheld by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, President Bola Tinubu granted amnesty to the university workers in October 2023 and directed that four months of the withheld salaries be paid to them.
