By Asuquo Cletus
Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) in the University of Cross River State has embarked on a peaceful protest over unpaid wages and unresolved welfare issues.
The aggrieved workers, bearing placards with various inscriptions, marched within the Calabar campus, demanding immediate implementation of the 2009 agreement reached between the Federal Government and university-based unions, as well as the payment of withheld salaries and other accrued entitlements.
Speaking during the protest on Thursday, the NASU Chairman, Atim Amah, flanked by SSANU Secretary,Sunny Inaku, said the action was part of a nationwide directive from their national bodies to press home the unions’ demands.
According to Amah, university staff across the country have endured untold hardship due to non-payment of salaries and neglect of their welfare by the government, adding that the current economic situation has worsened their plight.
“We are protesting in solidarity with our members in tertiary institutions nationwide, demanding that the Federal Government fully implement the 2009 agreement, pay withheld salaries, and address pending welfare concerns,” Amah stated.
“This hardship has really affected us. We want the government to look into our welfare and take urgent steps to cushion the effects of the economic challenges in the country,” he added.
Also speaking, Sunny Inaku noted that the protest was being conducted simultaneously in all federal and state universities across Nigeria, in line with the unions’ national directive.
“We are starting this protest march from the new cafeteria to the main gate of the Calabar campus. Our action is peaceful but determined, as we are standing in solidarity with our national body,” Inaku said.
The unions called on both the Federal and State Governments to prioritize workers’ welfare, warning that failure to meet their demands could lead to an indefinite shutdown of university activities.
The 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and NASU covers issues such as improved funding for universities, salary adjustments, and better conditions of service.
