SSANU, NASU Join Nationwide Strike, Paralyse Activities in UNN

Administrative activities on Monday, March 18, were paralysed at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) following the 7-day warning strike embarked upon by the national leadership of the Senior Staff Association of Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational Associated Institutions (NASU).

The unions said the aim of the warning strike called by their national Joint Action Committee (JAC) was to protest the federal government’s failure to pay members’ four months withheld salaries during their strike in 2022.

Addressing members during an emergency congress on Monday in UNN, Dr. Linus Akata, chairman of SSANU-UNN flanked by Comrade Ekene Amu, chairman of NASU-UNN, said that the emergency congress aimed to tell their members about the 7-day nationwide warning strike declared by JAC.

Akata said that the strike would be total and comprehensive in UNN, in total adherence and compliance with the directive of the national leadership.

He said that all the administrative offices and essential service sections of the university were already under lock and key.

The union leader warned that the unions would deal decisively with any member found defaulting or sabotaging the warning strike.

He said: “Members are directed to go home immediately after this congress and stay away from work until the 7-day warning strike ends, as any defaulting member will be decisively dealt with.

“This warning strike is total and comprehensive as the administrative block of the UNN, offices, works department, University Medical Centre, University Primary School, and others have been shut down till the end of the strike.

“There will be no water and electricity supply from the university hostels, also internet facilities from the university have been shut down for the period as we have directed our members working in these places to go home”, Akata said.

He said that the unions had no apology over the 7-day warning strike as their national leadership had done everything necessary to avert the strike by appealing to the government to do the needful.

“SSANU and NASU have written so many letters to the government, held several press conferences, and led delegations to government officials in a bid to resolve the issue but all to no avail.

“So, at the end of this warning strike, if the government does not meet our demand we will also take directive from our national body on the next line of action”, the union leader said.

Akata urged members to go home and relax in their houses till the end of the strike but should report any threat or query for not coming to work from management, head of department, or faculty to the union.

Our correspondent who monitored development in the university, observed many students complaining about paralysing of activities in the university.

They, therefore, appealed to the government to quickly resolve the issue to avoid anything that would again disrupt the academic calendar in public universities.