The Nigerian government and the leaders of the strikers Union of non-academic staff of educational establishments and associated establishments (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) are so far at odds over the amount of withheld salaries paid to their members.

The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) said in a statement that payments to union members “have commenced and many have confirmed receipt”.

But unions said the government’s claim was not “entirely accurate”, insisting wages were only paid for one month out of the four months withheld.

The two unions downed tools on Monday after their Joint Action Committee (JAC) announced an indefinite strike.

The strike, announced last Sunday, follows the government’s alleged non-payment of retained workers four months’ salary starting in 2022.

Funds disbursed – OAGF

The OAGF said it has also released funds for the payment of benefits to retirees in the Nigerian Union Contributory Pensioners Scheme (NUPCPS) sector, Channels Television reported.

“The office reiterated its commitment to effectively ensuring the welfare of Nigerian workers and retirees.”

Not quite correct – SSANU

SSANU vice president Abdussobur Salaam told PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday that the government’s claim was “not entirely accurate”, describing it as a distortion of facts.

Mr Salaam said union members received only one of the four months’ salaries held by the government.

He pointed out that the salaries were paid the day after a meeting with government representatives at the Ministry of Education, which ended in an impasse.

“Only one month out of the four months owed has been paid,” he said in response to a query from PREMIUM TIMES via SMS. “He was paid yesterday, Friday, after our meeting on Thursday.”

At the meeting held on Thursday, JAC leaders including National Presidents of NASU and SSANU, Hassan Makolo and Mohammed Ibrahim respectively, met with the immediate past Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu and Permanent Secretary of ministry, Nasir Gwarzo.

Mr Sununu assured unions that withheld salaries would be paid, but did not give a specific date or timetable. The unions therefore insist that they will not suspend the ongoing strike until their members receive the withheld wages.

Salaries retained

The Nigerian government has withheld the salaries of university staff who participated in the 2022 prolonged strike due to unresolved issues.

SSANU and NASU were on strike for four months, suspending it after calls from the then Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu. But university staff continued the strike for eight months until an industrial court ordered the strike suspended at the request of the federal government.

Meanwhile, the government had introduced a “No Work, No Pay” policy, thereby withholding workers’ salaries during the strike period.

Last October, President Bola Tinubu ordered the payment of four of the eight months’ withheld salaries for academic staff. He was finally paid in February.

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But the directive remains silent on non-teaching staff, with unions describing the president’s directive as selective and opposing it.

The unions then wrote to the government, issued ultimatums, protested and staged warning strikes, but their four-month salaries are still being withheld, leading to the current strike.