Administrative Activities Grounded at UNEC, Enugu, as SSANU/NASU Stage Protest: Administrative operations were brought to a standstill for several hours on Thursday at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), as non-teaching staff embarked on a peaceful protest to demand the fulfillment of long-standing commitments from the Federal Government.
The joint protest, which saw members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) marching across the campus, was led by their respective branch chairmen.
With placards in hand and solidarity songs echoing through the air, the protesters carried messages such as “FGN, honour the 2009 agreement now,” “Enough is enough, pay our withheld salaries,” and “SSANU/NASU united — we demand our rights.” Others read “FG, stop your empty promises since 2009,” “Justice delayed is justice denied,” and “We can no longer feed our families because the government owes us.”
Protest in Line with National Directive
Speaking to journalists during the demonstration, Comrade Eric Eze, NASU Chairman, UNEC branch, explained that the protest was in line with the directive issued by the national leadership of both unions.
According to him, “The national JAC, during its meeting on Monday, October 6, instructed all branches in public universities and inter-university centres across the country to hold this one-day protest as a final warning to the Federal Government.”
He appealed to Nigerians, especially parents, to urge the government to meet the unions’ demands. He warned that if an indefinite nationwide strike becomes inevitable, “it will be total and comprehensive, leading to a complete shutdown of public universities.”
Grievances Over Unpaid and Withheld Salaries
Eze recalled that following the 2019 nationwide strike, the Federal Government released ₦50 billion as earned allowances to university staff. However, while members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) received their share, non-teaching staff were completely left out.
He expressed disappointment over the continued neglect, urging the government to “do the right thing by paying us our rightful entitlements.”
Also addressing reporters, Comrade Samuel Okoh, UNEC Chapter Chairman of SSANU, lamented the government’s refusal to release two months’ salaries withheld after the 2022 strike. According to him, although the government agreed to settle the issue that year, only half of the owed salaries were paid, leaving the remaining two months unpaid as a form of “punishment on the workers.”
He further revealed that an additional 25 percent salary arrears remains unpaid, despite being captured in the 2023, 2024, and 2025 national budgets.
Unions Vow to Continue Peaceful Advocacy
In his remarks, Comrade Okay Animba, National Vice President of SSANU (Southeast), emphasized that the protest was both peaceful and lawful. He clarified that the aim was not to disrupt academic activities but to “speak truth to power and insist on justice for non-teaching staff.”
Animba reaffirmed the unions’ commitment to their cause, stressing that they would not be swayed by “unfulfilled promises or political gimmicks.”
He also called on the Nigerian public to support the unions’ struggle, describing it as a fight not just for workers’ welfare, but for the future of quality education in Nigeria.
