Nigerian Unions Pause Strike but NAAT Still Dey Ready for Protest
Di image resemble empty university campus, wey dey symbolize di ghost town wey Nigerian universities turn afta di strike.
No be small wahala for Nigerian universities recently as two powerful unions, NASU (Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions) and SSANU (Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities), decide say make dem pause di strike wey don paralyze university waka for di country. Dis suspension dey based on one small alert wey dem see for dia phone as Federal Government release only one out of four months’ salaries wey dem bin owe dem. But no be everybody gree o – NAAT (National Association of Academic Technologists) no dey play, dem say dem go still protest as dia own condition neva satisfy dem belle.
According to SSANU Vice President, Abdussobur Salaam, di government no try at all, say di one month wey dem pay no even reach wetin dem dey owe. Na only 25% of di full debt dem fit drop. Di mata no end there, as JAC of SSANU and NASU bin start di indefinite strike on October 28 afta government hold on to dia salaries. Since dat day, universities don turn ghost town; no waka, no movement, classrooms empty like film for night.
But wahala break small wen government come settle one month salary out of di four months wey dem dey owe. So on top dat one-month pay, dem fit persuade NASU and SSANU to calm down and return to work for now. Di unions come yarn say dem don reach one kind agreement with government; di arrangement na say government go stagger di pay. First month by October end (wey dem don try small), den second month go reach by di end of November.
NAAT no even wan hear word for dis mata. Dem no gree join body for di one-month suspension at all. Dem talk say if government no deliver di full payment by November 13, dem go organize massive protest on November 14 across Nigeria. Dem say “One month pay no be di full money wey dem dey owe us, and we no go stand down until di full salary matter clear.” Di president of NAAT, Ibeji Nwokoma, talk say di small money wey enter dia hand no even scratch di debt wey government dey owe dem.
Meanwhile, NASU and SSANU leaders don direct all dia branch leaders for university campuses to run joint congress meetings. Di meeting go take place one day before resumption make dem inform all members how far and encourage dem to show face for work. Di leaders still praise dem members for di way dem hold ground despite all di “no pay, no work” policy wey government bin try use scatter di union.
Wetin NASU and SSANU dey demand no small o. Dem want four-month salary, dem want beta pay, dem want dem N50 billion earned allowances, and dem want make government fulfill di 2009 agreement wey still dey hang since like old cloth. Dem also yan say di government no gree give dem di 25/35% wage increase wey dem don dey request for years now.
On top di matter, di new Minister of Education, di Minister of Finance, outgoing Minister of State for Education, Permanent Secretary of Education Ministry, Accountant-General, and DSS oga don all join body try settle di mata. Di Minister promise say by di end of November, di second month payment go enter. Based on dis commitment, NASU and SSANU decide say make dem wait till den. But di union don yan say if di November pay no land, strike fit resume sharply.
Meanwhile, for NAAT, di way e be, dem no dey ready to ease off at all. According to dem president, Nwokoma, dem don plan to march for November 14 if government no settle dia remaining pay, and na Federal Ministry of Finance go collect di picketing heat if di government fumble again.
For weekend, e hard for union leaders to reach government officials to clear di balance of payment matter. Nwokoma talk say dem go reconnect with di Accountant-General office by Monday to get clear tori. For now, NAAT dey stand gidigba on dia decision say until dem see di full balance wey President don approve, dem no fit pause action.
No be today strike and wahala dey shake Nigeria’s university system. Dem NASU, SSANU, and even NAAT don show say dem no dey give up quick. Until di government clear di entire backlog, matter fit still long.
