From Felix Ikem, Nsukka

Administrative activities at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) on Thursday were paralysed as non-teaching staff of the university embarked on a one-day protest to press home their demands from the Federal Government.

The peaceful protest march led by Comrade Linus Akata, Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Comrade William Amu, Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), went around major roads in the campus singing and chanting solidarity songs.

Some placards carried by SSANU/NASU members during the protest include:

“FGN honour the 2009 agreement now”

“Enough is enough, pay our withheld salary”

“SSANU/NASU united, we demand what is our right”

Others are “FG enough of your empty promises since 2009”

“Justice delayed is justice denied”

“We can no longer take care of our families because government is owing us”, among others.

Briefing newsmen during the protest the two union leaders (Akata and Amu) said the one-day protest was in compliance with the directive of SSANU/NASU national JAC to all non-teaching staff in public universities.

“The national JAC at its meeting held on Monday, October 6, directed all branch leadership in universities and inter-university centres throughout the country to carry out this one-day protest on Thursday as last warning to the government.

“We thank non-teaching staff in UNN for their active participation in the protest and urged them to wait for further directives for a nationwide strike if the government failed to do the needful,” they said.

The two union leaders said the nationwide indefinite strike would not only paralyse administrative activities but also academic activities as all lecture halls in the university would remain under lock and key.

“Nigerians especially parents should prevail on government to meet the demands of SSANU/NASU, because if the nationwide indefinite strike starts it will be total and comprehensive as SSANU/NASU will shut down public universities in the country.”

The union leaders listed some of the demands of SSANU/NASU to include: Federal Government to honour the 2009 agreement.

The third-party deductions from the already paid two months of withheld salaries that were yet to be remitted, inability of government to pay earned allowances for members.

The Federal Government continued withholding of salaries of members who participated in the 2022 industrial action.

Inability of the government to release the outstanding two (2) months withheld salaries as a demonstration of good faith and commitment to restoring industrial harmony within the university system, among others.

Our correspondent reports that no fewer than 500 non-teaching staff in UNN participated in the protest.

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