The patience of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) is wearing thin as they confront the Federal Government over the exclusion of their members from the payment of four months’ withheld salaries. This Monday, the unions issued a stark warning, giving the government a one-week ultimatum to resolve this issue or face the consequences: a potential strike.

The heart of the matter traces back to last Friday when SSANU and NASU, feeling sidelined, set a seven-day deadline for the government, demanding equal treatment to their teaching counterparts in the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), who had already received their dues.

During a press briefing in Abuja, SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, voiced frustration over the delay. Despite President Bola Tinubu’s decision to release four months of withheld salaries for university staff, the non-teaching personnel have yet to see a penny. Ibrahim highlighted the disparity, pointing out that while ASUU members were paid, NASU and SSANU members were left waiting, despite the president’s waiver intended for all university staff.

“This situation is causing a lot of concern,” Ibrahim expressed. “We work in the same environment, participated in the same strike, and reached the same agreement. Yet, here we are, still waiting.”

The unions are not taking this lightly, with plans to convene the Joint Action Committee (JAC) within the next week to decide their next steps, which could very well mean a halt in their services. They seek to alert the public to their plight, emphasizing the dire consequences already faced by their members due to the withheld salaries. From medical emergencies to evictions and educational disruptions for their children, the toll has been heavy.

Comrade Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary of NASU, echoed these sentiments, accusing the Federal Government of favoring ASUU unfairly in the disbursement of the withheld salaries. He highlighted the unfulfilled agreements signed with the previous administration, lamenting the lack of honor in adhering to these commitments.

The unions’ demand is clear: they call upon the Chief of Staff, the Minister of Finance, the Accountant General of the Federation, and all stakeholders involved to release the four months’ salary owed to NASU and SSANU members without further delay.