Yesterday, some federal universities across the country were shut down, in compliance with an indefinite strike action.
The strike was called by the Joint Action Committee of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities.
On Sunday night, SSANU and NASU vowed to indefinitely shut down all university activities across the country, starting Monday, until the Federal Government paid the four months withheld salaries.
A statement made available to our correspondent on Sunday and signed by the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, and the General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, said the ultimatum it gave the Federal Government over its withheld salaries expired Sunday midnight.
The Federal Ministry of Education on Monday reached out to the leaders of the university workers’ union, following the declaration of an indefinite strike.
Speaking on Monday with our correspondent in Abuja, Ibrahim noted that the ministry reached out to him requesting a meeting.
“Well, I will say unofficial (meeting) because there is no official communication to that effect,” Ibrahim said.
“The Minister of State for Education reached out via a phone call and noted that the call was on the instance of the incoming minister, requesting for a meeting today in Abuja but because I was unavailable, the meeting couldn’t be held.
“As you know most of us are not based in Abuja and all of that.”
According to Ibrahim, the compliance observed in universities on Monday likely prompted the Federal Ministry of Education to request a meeting.
