As members of the Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) make good the threat to embark on a nationwide warning strike across the country on Tuesday, the unions have vowed to storm Abuja on July 18 for a full blown strike.
The unions said all branch leaders and members will storm the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to picket strategic offices and offices identified as responsible for foot dragging on the payment of members’ withheld salary arrears.
The aggrieved members of the unions are demanding the payment of outstanding salary arrears owed to their members, and have vowed not to back down until their demands are met.
The warning protest paralysed activities in the nation’s universities, especially those owned by the federal government, over the non-payment of their four and a half months salaries withheld by the government.
In an interview with Daily Independent at the main gate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG ) where members staged the protest, the National Vice President, West, SSANU, Dr. Abdussobur Salaam, said the next stage of the protest would be picketing some government offices in Abuja, suspected to be involved in holding tight to their salaries
He said, “There’ll be a national protest and picketing on strategic areas of government that are sitting on our money and those that do not use to breathe.
“Thereafter, if that also does not yield any result, we shall take decision but I can tell you that it will be almost nothing less than a full blown indefinite and total strike.
He added, “We have been neglected and maltreated by governments in respect of our issues.Some of the issues in contention dates back to 2009 when agreements were signed with the government, and if there were 20 issues in the 2009 agreement, you did maybe only 5 and left 15 unattended to, you have not done well.
He lamented that despite a warning strike some months ago, the Federal Government has failed to meet the unions’ demands.
He decried the abandonment of the unions, saying the FG has paid other unions the salary Arrears at the detriment of NASU and SSANU members.
At UNILAG, the protesting workers led by their leaders, marched from the Senate Building to the main gate of the institution, chanting various solidarity songs and clutching placards with different inscriptions.
The workers under the aegis of SSANU and NASU laid siege at the main gate of the institution’s Akoka campus as they called on the federal government to heed their calls or risk a full blown protest on July 18th.
