Strike: Toying with future of Nigerian students will spell doom – SSANU warns

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has warned that the lingering strike in the universities will spell doom for Nigeria.

SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim issued the warning in his message to Nigerian workers.

He urged the federal government to consider the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and other striking university-based unions and take urgent steps towards a solution.

His message read, “Government should take urgent steps to address the myriad of challenges that led to the ongoing strike by the unions in the Universities.

“Toying with the future of our children (youths) will spell doom for our dear country.

“Our members have been denied payment of new Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment arrears and backlog of earned allowances, in addition to other violations of our rights and privileges.

“Our universities have been forced to shut down due to the insincerity of government to keep to its promises.”

He noted that the standard of education in Nigeria had continued to go down due to the insensitivity of government and the inability to provide conducive teaching.

“The morale of University workers are dampened by the poor pay package and the government appears to be paying lip service in funding education. It is very clear that government pays more attention to frivolous things and has neglected the youths that are said to be the leaders of tomorrow.

“Despite the enormous resources God has blessed our beloved country with, those saddled with the responsibility of piloting its affairs have turned the resources to a curse,” he lamented.

The ASUU, SSANU, and other university-based unions: Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT embarked on strike since February over the failure of the Federal Government to address their concerns.