The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU) disclosed on Saturday that the Federal Government has released just one month of the four months’ worth of withheld salaries owed to university staff.
This partial release follows a nationwide strike initiated by JAC on Monday, protesting four months of unpaid wages. The strike has effectively brought all university activities to a standstill, with 98 percent of union members reportedly adhering to the strike directive.
The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation confirmed that it had disbursed a portion of the withheld salaries. However, the university workers remain dissatisfied, stating that the government’s partial release falls short of their demands. SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, explained that the unpaid salaries have severely impacted staff, including high-level university officials such as Vice-Chancellors, bursars, and registrars, who also have not received wages during this period.
While some staff members have reportedly begun to receive the recent payment, Ibrahim confirmed that it covers only one of the four months. He added, “Yes, they paid one month out of four months. We shall be meeting to appraise the situation, but not everyone has received it so far.”
The unions have vowed to continue the strike until the government fulfills the full payment, signaling prolonged disruptions in university operations across the country.
