FG Engages SSANU, NASU, NAAT Leaders in Strike Dialogue

• Minister of Education meets with striking unions in Abuja to resolve ongoing warning strike in tertiary institutions
• Unions involved include SSANU, NASU, and NAAT, with government commitment to ongoing dialogue emphasized to prevent escalation

In Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, convened a meeting with the leadership of the striking unions aimed at resolving the ongoing warning strike.

The unions involved are the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

Following the meeting, Mamman informed reporters that the Federal Government is committed to engaging in ongoing dialogue with the unions to prevent the situation from escalating further.

“We are optimistic that the situation will not deteriorate any further. We have established a good rapport with the unions to maintain stability in our tertiary institutions. We will exert every effort to foster trust with the unions, thereby resolving the strike matter,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Prince Peters Adeyemi, the General Secretary of NASU, acknowledged the government’s transparency in resolving the strike. However, he emphasized that the strike would persist until the government provides a satisfactory response.

“The government delegation, led by the Minister of Education, has briefed us on the steps being taken to address our demands. While we appreciate their transparency, we insist that the strike will continue until we receive concrete and positive feedback from the authorities,” Adeyemi affirmed.

Echoing similar sentiments, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, the President of NAAT, affirmed the unions’ stance, indicating that further consultations with their principals would occur before briefing the minister.

“We stand united with other unions, and we will consult with our respective authorities. Once this consultation is concluded, we will return to update the minister. For now, the strike remains ongoing as the government intensifies its efforts towards achieving a resolution and restoring normalcy to our universities,” Nwokoma concluded.