THE federal government said it has released funds to initiate payments of outstanding salaries to members of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) in federal universities, along with retirement benefits to retirees under the Nigerian Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme.
A statement on Saturday, November 2, by the director of press and public relations at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Bawa Mokwa, said the payments to NASU members had commenced, with many beneficiaries already confirming receipt of their salaries and benefits.
“The federal government has released funds for payment of withheld salary of Non-Academic Staff Union of Federal Universities.
“According to the OAGF, the Federal Government has also released funds for payment of benefits to retirees under the Nigerian Union of Pensioners Contributory Pension Scheme Sector.
“The OAGF said payments to the Non-Academic Staff of Federal Universities had commenced and many have confirmed receipt,” the statement read.
While emphasising its dedication to addressing longstanding financial obligations within federal institutions, the Office of the Accountant-General also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers and retirees.
The ICIR reports that the issue of withheld salaries has been a source of contention, with NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) issuing multiple ultimatums demanding overdue payments and adherence to agreements, including the 2009 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
In 2022, the federal government invoked a “no work, no pay” policy following prolonged strikes by university unions, a stance that many staff members have openly criticised.
On October 28, SSANU and NASU announced an indefinite strike to protest the non-payment of salaries, further disrupting university activities nationwide.
In a joint statement, the unions emphasised that the federal government’s delays in addressing their demands had pushed them to take a stronger stance, urging university staff across federal and state institutions to join the industrial action.
Following the declaration, the Federal Government invited the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the striking unions for dialogue.
According to SSANU vice president, Abdussobur Salaam, the meeting is scheduled for today (Thursday), October 31.
Meanwhile another union in the education sector, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), on Wednesday, threatened to embark on a protest and strike in the next two weeks over withheld salaries.
It vowed to picket the federal ministry of finance on November 14 and organise a nationwide protest on November 6 in response to the “unpleasant way” university employees were treated.
The president of the NAAT, Ibeji Nwokoma, told reporters at Labour House in Abuja on Wednesday that the planned protest and strike arose from the government’s failure to meet his group’s demands, including payment of five and a half months of withheld salaries and the full implementation of a 2009 agreement with NAAT.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M