SSANU urges the federal government to conclude negotiations with non-teaching university unions to maintain industrial peace on campuses

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has called on the Federal Government to urgently conclude renegotiations with non-teaching university unions, including SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

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SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, praised the recent agreement reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) but warned it was insufficient to ensure total industrial peace across Nigerian universities.

“The ASUU agreement is a welcome development, but it does not automatically translate to total industrial peace in the university system,” Ibrahim said.

He added that the government must urgently conclude negotiations with SSANU, NASU, and NAAT to prevent fresh unrest and sustain current stability on campuses.

Ibrahim described the situation as “not yet uhuru,” stressing that unresolved agreements dating back to 2009 remain outstanding. He warned that selective negotiations could create mistrust and perceptions of unequal treatment.

Highlighting the critical role of non-teaching staff in security, healthcare, laboratories, power supply, and campus maintenance, Ibrahim noted that neglecting their welfare could disrupt academic activities and calendars.

He urged the government to demonstrate fairness and sincerity through concrete actions, cautioning that approaching 2027 political activities could complicate delayed negotiations.

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“Universities function as integrated systems, and collective bargaining must be respected to sustain trust and industrial peace in the tertiary education sector,” he added.