ACTIVITIES at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife in Osun, and Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), were on Monday paralysed as workers complied with the directive to embark on seven-day warning strike.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seven-day nationwide warning strike was declared by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).
The institutions’ branches of SSANU and NASU in compliance with directive of its national bodies locked the main gates preventing entry and exit of vehicles on the campuses.
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The bodies had declared a nationwide warning strike to protest the Federal Government’s failure to pay arrears of four months salaries owed member of the unions in 2022
Correspondents of NAN, who monitored the strike in Ile-Ife and Akure, report that lecture halls and offices were also locked hindering academic activities by lecturers who earlier had been paid their arrears.
In separate interviews, the Chairmen of SSANU in the institutions, Messrs Taiwo Arobadi and Felix Adubi, respectively, said that the unions action was in compliance with the directive of its national bodies.
The chairmen said that all their members in registry, bursary, works, maintenance, security and student affairs have withdrawn their services.
According to the chairmen, the Federal Government had signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) in 2009, and Memoranda of Agreement (MoA) in 2023 respectively over payment of their arrears, but nothing was done till date.
Arobadi said that if the FG does the needful today, the strike would be called-off, but failure to do so within stipulated time, next action would be decided.
“What we are agitating for is that Federal Government should pay our four months withheld salaries of members, following the 2022, nationwide strike.
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“We see no reason why government should pay only Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and abandon SSANU, NASU and NAAT,” he stated.
Also, Comrade Wole Odewumi, the Chairman, Non-Teaching Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, OAU branch, told NAN that the workers complied with the national directive on the strike.
Odewumi said “no ounion is superior to another, and since the Federal Government has paid ASSU, other unions should be paid as well.”
Also, Adubi, said that the unions in FUTA don’t have any grouse with the institution’s management, but the federal government.
He said that the unions in FUTA would not heed any appeal from the school management not to join the seven-day warning strike declared by its national leadership.
“All administrative and technical activities in FUTA have been paralyzed and we still have the whole of this week to comply with the warning strike.
“We don’t have problem with management of FUTA, but the Federal Government and no appeal from the school will go anywhere.
“As a matter of fact, it is unfair treatment to our members and this strike is to resolve the issue positively before it leads to unnecessary upheaval in our universities.
“The Federal Government should pay our withheld four months’ salaries in the federal universities and inter-university centres as done for our academic counterparts,” he stated.
NAN reports that the institution was deserted and no academic activity was ongoing in compliance with the unions’ instruction. (NAN)
