The minister stated that non-academic university staff workers would not be on strike for the same duration in 2022 as their academic counterparts.
The Nigerian government has said that the members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) will be paid half of their withheld salaries.
This was stated by the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday.
The minister stated that non-academic university staff workers would not be on strike for the same duration in 2022 as their academic counterparts.
He claimed that the administration had done everything necessary to provide relief for them.
Asked what has delayed the payment to NASU and SSANU members, Mamman said, “No, it has not been approved.
“There is a court judgement on no work, no pay. ASUU getting four months’ pay was actually a discretion and decision on the part of the President. So, it doesn’t automatically transfer (to NASU and SSANU) but the matter is under consideration.
“I don’t think it is safe to put a time on it but it’s safer to say that we are on it and we are pushing.”
While speaking on claims of discrimination against NASU and SSANU made by their members, the minister said, “That cannot be right, there is no rating. These are people working in the same terrain, they are doing different things but all working towards the same goal.”
A few weeks ago, SSANU and NASU embarked on a week strike action over alleged unfair treatment and disparity in the payment of salaries by the Nigerian government.
Dr Abdussobuur Salaam revealed that the decision to embark on the strike was taken after a resolution at the union's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting which was held a week earlier.
He said, “We have declared a seven-day warning strike effective from the 18th of March, which is next Monday pending due process within the rank of the union and also pending discussion with our sister union, NASU.
“But as far as SSANU is concerned, the National Executive Council (NEC) on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday had resolved that as a union, we will be embarking on a week-long warning strike to press home our demands which had been abandoned by the government since 2022.”