Members of the three non-academic unions in the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) have threatened to shut down the university if the Federal Government refuse to meet their demands for improved welfare and a conducive working environment.
The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Non-academic Staff of Universities (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), under the Joint Action Committee (JAC) in ATBU, on Thursday, after their meeting, embarked on a peaceful protest march from the university library to the main gate of the Yelwa Campus displaying placards with various inscriptions to send their message to the Federal Government.
Addressing journalists after, Chairman of SSANU in ATBU, who is also Chairman of Joint Action Committee (JAC), Comrade Sulisma Jatau said that, ‘We have been in this struggle for so long on the welfare issues for the members, we entered into an agreement with the Federal Government since 2009 and most of the items we signed have not been implemented by the Federal Government.’
He said, ‘We have issued warnings of strikes to notify the government of our resolve to embark on serious strike action but as of today, the government has remained adamant. That is the reason we are here protesting to enable the whole world know what we are going through.
‘After today, which is the last step we are taking, anything could happen, nobody should hold us responsible. We are ready to shut down the educational system of the country indefinitely.
‘We have given them enough Ultimatum and chance to act but they have refused to act, even last Monday, one ended. Though we met with the FG, what we were told was not palatable. We are now showing them that we are not happy with what they are doing by not meeting our demands.
‘After today, Nigerians should expect the worst from us, we are going to shut down the whole system, that is the truth and we are not going back until something positive happens.
‘It is a long story since 2009 to include N50b earned allowance promised since 2022, 2 months withheld salary because of going on legitimate strike.’
He explained that it was initially 4 months but 2 have been paid remaining 2 months as well as the 35% increase in salary implemented since January 2023, which has not been paid by the Federal Government.
He added, ‘We understand that the language they understand is force and we are ready to go the force way. We want the entire world to know that this administration is unjust, we have being demanding for one thing for more than 10 years and uptill now nothing has ever happened.
‘We are tired of promises; we are ready for a showdown. After this protest, what will come next is not going to be palatable to the Government. We are calling on the Federal Government to respect agreement, that was freely entered into, the Unions did not force the government to enter into the agreement.’
Also speaking, the Chairman of NASU, Comrade Yusuf Danazumi, stressed that, ‘Just as the JAC Chairman has said, we have been pushed to the wall and we are now ready to push back. We want the agreement to be respected, our welfare should be treated as paramount and important.’
He declared that the members are ready to cooperate with the leadership in shutting down the university system at any moment from today if the Federal Government refused to respond positively to their demands.