Another strike is in the offing in our ivory tower. The senior staff and non-academic unions declared strike two days back. Now, the academic technologists have joined!
Starting at midnight on November 6, 2024, the protest will mobilize NAAT members across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. President of NAAT, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, issued the notice following a National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, where he also delivered a two-week ultimatum, giving the government until November 13 to address these issues.
This declaration comes barely two days after the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) started strike. The Health sector unions are equally on strike.
Picketing and ultimatums: NAAT’s next move
NAAT plans to picket the Ministry of Finance on November 14 if the government fails to act. The union expressed frustration over the government’s delay in honoring President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive to release the five-month withheld salaries. Comrade Nwokoma highlighted other unfulfilled demands, including a 2009 agreement covering allowances, student training, and improving lab facilities. If left unresolved, NAAT warns of escalating the protest into another strike.
Government keeps mum as another strike starts
NAAT previously issued a three-week ultimatum, which expired on October 21 without any response from government agencies. Nwokoma criticized the government’s inaction, questioning the Finance Ministry’s delay in releasing funds. The union has directed local branches to hold congresses and vote on escalating the protest. If no solution is reached by November 13, NAAT intends to initiate an indefinite strike, threatening academic schedules and essential research activities across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
Leave feedback about this