Strike: FG, SSANU adjourn meeting on 2009 agreement for one week

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

The ongoing renegotiation of the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has been adjourned for one week.

The meeting comes on the heels of a 30-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government by SSANU to conclude every negotiation before April 30, failure of which the union will embark on an indefinite and total strike.

The renegotiation meeting between the non-teaching staff union and the Federal Government Renegotiation Committee took place on Tuesday at the National University Commission, NUC, Abuja.

Recall that SSANU at its 54th National Executive Council, NEC meeting at Ekiti State University, EKSU, Ado Ekiti, had, among other resolutions, issued a one-month ultimatum to the federal government, starting from April 1 to April 30, to complete the ongoing renegotiation and immediately commence implementation.

The association in a communiqué signed by its President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, expressed dismay that while the government has concluded renegotiation with the sister union, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and had even commenced implementation of the renegotiation agreement since January this year, it was yet to extend the same treatment to the non-teaching staff unions in the same university system.

Consequently, it threatened: “NEC expresses grave concern over the slow pace and inconclusive nature of the ongoing renegotiation between the Federal Government and the non-teaching unions in the university system.

“Council observes that prolonged engagement without clear commitment, defined timelines, and tangible outcomes is unacceptable. NEC therefore insists that Government must, without further delay, reconvene and conclude the renegotiation process in a fair, transparent, and time-bound manner.

“In view of this, SSANU hereby issues a final ultimatum to the Federal Government from 1st April 2026 to 30th April 2026 to conclude the renegotiation process and sign the agreement.

“Should the Government fail to do so within this period, the Union will have no other alternative but to liaise with its partner in the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU to commence an indefinite, comprehensive, and total industrial action.

“NEC makes it unequivocally clear that, in the event of such failure, there will be no going back on this decision by the JAC of NASU and SSANU.”

It called on the federal government “to take immediate, sincere, and decisive steps to conclude the renegotiation process, settle all outstanding entitlements, and restore confidence in its commitment to industrial justice within the university system.”

It further added: “SSANU has demonstrated maturity, patience, and goodwill in the face of provocation and hardship. However, NEC makes it abundantly clear that if government fails to act within the stipulated timeframe, the Union will not hesitate to embark on decisive and lawful industrial action.”

A source privy to the Tuesday meeting told Vanguard that deliberations were extensive and fruitful as additional milestones were achieved.

Although the source did not disclose the milestones achieved, he, however, said that the one-week adjournment was to give room for further consultations by both sides.

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