By Milcah Tanimu

Despite President Bola Tinubu’s directive to pay the withheld salaries of public university workers due to the 2022 prolonged strike, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) is yet to receive their four-month withheld salaries. SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, expressed frustration on Channels TV’s Politics Today, noting that while the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members have been paid, there has been no resolution for SSANU and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) members.

Ibrahim revealed that an agreement was signed to ensure that no one would suffer for participating in the strike, and salaries should not be withheld. However, the current government has only honored this commitment for ASUU members. The union’s patience is running thin, and Ibrahim criticized the government for treating SSANU members with disdain.

He highlighted the challenging circumstances faced by union members, including difficulties in commuting, fuel shortages, scarcity of food, and inadequate access to medical services, emphasizing that this treatment does not reflect well on the system. The situation underscores the ongoing struggles of university staff in Nigeria, with SSANU seeking the resolution of salary payment issues arising from the previous strike.