Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday.
The protest, which began at the unions’ Secretariat and moved to the Senate building on campus, featured placards with messages such as “Let the federal university breathe,” “We are workers and not slaves, the union is our rights,” and “Tinubu pay our 4 months salary.”
NASU Chairman Samson Edivri and SSANU Chairman Rotimi Fasunwon led the demonstration, highlighting the federal government’s failure to pay four months of withheld salaries and earned allowances. They called on President Bola Tinubu to honor agreements and pay the arrears.
Edivri stressed the essential role of non-academic workers in universities and emphasized the urgent need for their demands to be met. He mentioned that the protest was directed by the national bodies of SSANU and NASU to demand not only salary arrears but also a 23.5% salary increment for non-academic staff.
Fasunwon criticized the government for not implementing the provisions of the 2009 agreement, which included the payment of earned allowances and wage increases. He announced a mega rally planned for July 18, 2024, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Vice Chancellor Professor Olusola Kehinde addressed the protesters, praising the union leadership for organizing a peaceful demonstration and assuring them of the university administration’s support for their rights and welfare.
