THE latest seven-day ultimatum handed down by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) to the Federal Government is a sad but familiar refrain in the life of Nigeria’s beleaguered higher education system. For how long will government-owned universities be turned into battlegrounds of endless strikes before those in power realise that a country can only progress to the extent it values and nurtures its educational institutions?
IN a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, and co-signed by SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, and NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, the unions lamented that despite repeated reminders and a meeting as far back as July, no progress had been made in addressing their legitimate concerns.
FOR the avoidance of doubt their demands are clear and just: correction of the unjust disbursement of the N50 billion earned allowances; payment of outstanding withheld salaries and 25/35 per cent salary increments; and the urgent renegotiation of the 2009 agreements with the Federal Government.
CERTAINLY, it is unconscionable that out of the N50 billion earned allowances released by government, 70 per cent was handed to academic staff while a paltry 30 per cent was left to be shared among SSANU, NASU and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT). This “skewed” distribution was recognised even by the government’s own resolution on 4 July, which promised a tripartite committee to resolve it.
YET, months later, nothing has been done. Worse still, while non-teaching staff unions have been abandoned, the same government team has already concluded renegotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and is on the verge of signing an agreement. No doubt, this obviously selective treatment reeks of disdain.
THE history of strikes in Nigerian universities is a stark reminder of the consequences of governmental neglect. The prolonged ASUU strike in 2020, which lasted over nine months, left millions of students stranded and disrupted the academic calendar nationwide. Similar disruptions by non-teaching staff unions have occurred repeatedly over the years, each time triggered by the government’s failure to honour agreements. As THE NIGERIA STANDARD has warned in the past, these strikes are not mere inconveniences. They are a national crisis that costs parents, students and the economy dearly. Yet, despite this odious track record, the Federal Government continues to treat such warnings with apathy, even disdain.
WE condemn this neglect in the strongest possible terms. It is not the first time these unions have issued ultimatums; neither would it be the first or second time they would actually go on strike – if their grievances are ignored. The endless cycle of strikes is not born of frivolity but of frustration — frustration at a government that refuses to honour its word, even after signing agreements. For how long must workers in our universities down tools before their basic welfare is recognised as central to national development?
WHAT makes the situation particularly appalling is the shameful contrast with the reckless extravagance of Nigeria’s political class. While SSANU and NASU members struggle to receive withheld salaries and fair increments, elected officials and their bloated army of aides continue to bask in obscene allowances, perks and privileges. The message this sends is dangerous: that education, the very foundation of national development, is expendable, while politics is a cash cow for personal enrichment.
THE NIGERIA STANDARD strongly believes that a government that neglects its universities is a government that mortgages its future. Therefore, we fully align with the demands of SSANU and NASU. Correct the unjust disbursement of earned allowances. Pay all withheld salaries and the 25/35 per cent increments. Resume and conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 agreements with all sincerity. Above all, show respect to the non-teaching staff who, alongside academics, keep Nigeria’s universities alive.
NO doubt, Nigeria cannot afford another round of university closures and the devastating consequences for students, parents and the economy. If this government truly seeks progress, it must prioritise education, not treat it as an afterthought. Thus, we appeal to President Tinubu must take personal responsibility, step into this crisis and ensure that the welfare of university staff is no longer toyed with. Leaving the matter to complacent ministers has failed repeatedly. The buck stops at the President’s desk. And history will hold him accountable for either salvaging or further destroying Nigeria’s universities.