Both the Non-Academic Staff Union and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities have declared that they are no longer confident in the Federal Government.
In response to the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, saying that SSANU and NASU will only get half of their withheld pay, pending President Bola Tinubu’s authorization, this in was revelation in an interview that aired on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday night.
Mamman said, “No, it has not been approved. There is a court judgment on ‘No work, no pay’. ASUU getting four months’ pay was a discretion and decision on the part of the President. So, it doesn’t automatically transfer (to NASU and SSANU) but the matter is under consideration.”
Responding to the date SSANU and NASU would get their pay, the minister said, “I don’t think it is safe to put a time on it but it’s safer to say that we are on it and we are pushing.”
Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, the National President of SSANU/NASU, responded to the minister’s interview by saying it was disappointing that the minister said there was no consent to pay SSANU/NASU.
Ibrahim said, “I am disappointed in the Minister of Education, who said there was no approval for the payment of SSANU/NASU withheld salaries. We met in January in the presence of all vice chancellors and union leaders and they promised to pay us.
“He is talking about a court case, meanwhile we didn’t go to court, we suspended our strikes after reaching an agreement with Mallam Adamu Adamu (ex-Minister of Education).”
The government should move forward with its payment choice, he continued.
“If that is what they have made up their minds to pay, they should just pay us. Why is he not categorical about the time to pay? We are losing confidence in them. At the appropriate time, we will send a reply.
“Our strike followed due process. At this moment, I have no confidence in the minister. If he is coming up with this, we are taken aback by his comments on Channels TV.
This was not what we were told in November 2023 and January. He said the Presidency has granted the waiver. We are not impressed by the chameleon-like treatment; we’re not happy with this government.”
The Special Advisor to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, stated in a statement on October 20, 2023, that the Federal Government had given a dispensation for the partial payment of delayed salaries for all educational unions. This was recalled by the President of SSANU/NASU.
It read, “Invoking the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, President Bola Tinubu has approved the partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” order that was instituted against striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities following the commencement of their eight-month industrial action, which began on February 14, 2022, and was terminated on October 17, 2022.
“The President has directed the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding establishing that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last one to be granted to the Academic Staff Union of Universities and all other Education Sector Unions.”
The National Vice President of SSANU, Abdussobur Salaam, also said, “The implication of the minister’s comment is that clearly he does not understand the issues or is being misguided over the issues.
“We shall not be taking his comments lightly. While I may not say specifically, it is obvious that the comment shall lead our members to make a decision that would lead to unpalatable consequences for our universities.
“It is better that the minister acts well and acts now, rather than rolling cluelessly on a barber chair.”
