SSANU Begins 5-Day Warning Strike At Sokoto Varsity

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Sokoto State University (SSU) chapter, has embarked on a five-day warning strike over unpaid staff entitlements.

The union also threatened to declare an indefinite strike if the Sokoto State Government fails to meet its demands before the expiration of the warning action.

The industrial action began on Monday, November 2, after the state government failed to respond to a 14-working-day ultimatum issued by the union on October 14.

In a statement jointly signed by its chairman, Ismail Bala Muhammed, and secretary, Mansur Ahmad, SSANU said it had withdrawn its services after repeated efforts to resolve the dispute through negotiations yielded no positive outcome.

The union said its outstanding demands include the payment of arrears from the 25 per cent salary increase, approval and implementation of the 35 per cent Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA), annual salary increments for eligible members and remittance of outstanding check-off dues.

“The union’s demands include the payment of arrears arising from the 25 per cent salary increment, approval and implementation of the 35 per cent Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance, CONTTA, annual salary increments for eligible members and payment of outstanding check-off dues,” the statement said.

SSANU disclosed that it had engaged the Commissioner for Higher Education, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and the Deputy Governor in a bid to resolve the matter.

It added that the government subsequently set up a committee to negotiate with university-based unions at Sokoto State University and Shehu Shagari University of Education, but the intervention failed to produce an agreement.

According to the union, a meeting held with the government on October 9 ended without a satisfactory resolution, as officials maintained that arrears from the 25 per cent salary increment would not be paid.

The government also reportedly stated that the implementation of CONTTA would begin in January 2027, subject to the availability of funds in the budget.

However, SSANU rejected the position, maintaining that the allowance was a legitimate entitlement of its members. It argued that similar allowances had been approved for academic staff under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other categories of workers in state-owned tertiary institutions.

The union further stated that it resubmitted its demands after the Permanent Secretary requested them but received no concrete response before the ultimatum elapsed.

SSANU consequently appealed to Governor Ahmed Aliyu to intervene directly and facilitate an immediate resolution of the dispute.

It also urged traditional rulers, parents, students and other stakeholders to prevail on the state government to address its grievances to prevent the industrial action from escalating.

The union warned that failure to resolve the issues within the five-day warning strike could force it to declare a total and indefinite withdrawal of services at the university.