SSANU, NASU, NAATS Protest Withheld Salaries, Block UNILAG Gate
Members of SSANU, NASU, and NAATS protested at UNILAG over withheld salaries, disrupting traffic.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational Associated Institutions (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAATS) staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday at the University of Lagos, blocking the entrance gate as a display of their dissatisfaction with the Federal Government over withheld salaries.
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The protest, which resulted in the obstruction of vehicular movement and the disruption of traffic flow in the vicinity, saw members of the unions chanting slogans and brandishing placards to highlight their grievances.
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising SSANU and NASU has been vocal for approximately a month, urging the government to address the issue of their excluded salaries, a matter which came to the fore with the commencement of salary payments to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in February.
Their salaries had been withheld following the implementation of a 'No Work, No Pay policy' during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, in response to strikes staged by ASUU, SSANU, and NAATS in 2022. ASUU's strike lasted eight months, while SSANU and NAATS went on strike for four months and five-and-a-half months respectively.
Adding to the ongoing protest, NAATS has initiated a three-day warning strike today, further escalating tensions and concerns within the educational sector.
The situation underscores the persistent challenges faced by non-academic staff in Nigerian universities, who continue to advocate for equitable treatment and fair remuneration from the government.
In related developments, talks between the Federal Government and representatives of SSANU and NASU are scheduled to take place today, aiming to find a resolution to the ongoing standoff and alleviate the grievances of the protesting staff members.
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As the standoff persists, stakeholders closely monitor the situation, hoping for an amicable resolution that addresses the concerns of all parties involved and restores normalcy to academic activities.
