…Government appeals to unions to call off strike as talks progress

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The Federal Government has appealed to the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) to call off their strike, which has now entered its fifth day.

This appeal was made by outgoing Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, who led the government delegation in discussions with the union leaders on Thursday.

Sununu, representing new Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alaussa, reiterated that efforts were underway to address the issues leading to the industrial action. Public universities across Nigeria had shut down since Monday due to the indefinite strike by NASU and SSANU, who are protesting the government’s failure to release four months of withheld salaries from 2022.

During the meeting, Dr. Sununu assured union leaders of the government’s commitment to resolving the matter, noting, “We have reviewed the reasons for the strike and briefed them on the Federation Ministry of Education’s efforts to resolve the issues.” He stated that discussions had reached an advanced stage and appealed for cooperation from union members to achieve a stable academic environment.

The chairman of the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU, Comrade Hassan Makolo, expressed optimism regarding the meeting’s outcomes. He assured that the unions would suspend the strike once their members confirm receipt of the withheld salaries. “We had a productive discussion… By the time our members receive payment alerts, the strike will be over,” Makolo said. He added that the unions are hopeful these commitments will prevent future disputes over similar issues.