The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has announced that there has been no official communication from the government regarding their ongoing strike.
On Monday, the unions initiated an indefinite strike due to four months of unpaid salaries, which has brought university activities across the nation to a standstill.
In an interview, SSANU's National Vice-President, Abdussobur Salaam, expressed frustration over the lack of updates, stating that while informal contacts were made with the Minister of State for Education, no substantial progress has been achieved.
He emphasized that previous promises have gone unfulfilled and all ultimatums have expired without any payments being made.
A statement from SSANU President Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary Prince Peters Adeyemi confirmed that the ultimatum given to the Federal Government regarding the withheld salaries expired at midnight on Sunday.
The unions are demanding not only the payment of these salaries but also improved remuneration and adherence to agreements made in 2009.
The Federal Government had previously implemented a "No Work, No Pay" policy during a prolonged strike by university unions in 2022. Recently, the unions issued a seven-day deadline for the government to address their demands, following a Memorandum of Understanding signed in August 2022 that has since lapsed.
The JAC has also noted that despite President Bola Tinubu's approval for partial salary payments to other university staff, non-academic workers continue to wait for their dues.
The unions have firmly rejected any further negotiations until their demands are met, urging immediate action from the Ministry of Finance.