Workers of the University of Ilorin under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Universities, SSANU and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, on Monday joined the nationwide two weeks warning strike as directed by their national bodies.

DAILY POST reports from the University of Ilorin main campus that the decision to join the strike called by the national bodies of the two labour unions was taken at a joint Congress held on Monday.

With the strike action, the major labour unions in Nigeria's universities are now on strike with the latest coming few weeks after the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, extended its nationwide strike by two months following the Federal government's deadlocked negotiation with ASUU.

A letter to the joint unions by the national bodies dated March 25th,2022 and signed by Prince Peters.A.Adeyemi, General Secretary of NASU and Comrade Mohammed.H.Ibrahim, National President of SSANU, respectively, directed them to embark on the action, saying "the two weeks warning strike should be comprehensive and total and no concession should be given in any guise.

"Your strict compliance and adherence to the directive is mandatory for all branches of NASU and SSANU in the Universities and inter-university centres, the letter emphasized.

It further stated that having waited for so long, the Federal government has not responded nor reacted to their demands.

"In view of the non-challant attitude of the Federal government to our demands, this is to direct our members in all universities and inter-university centres throughout the country to commence a two-week warning strike by midnight of Sunday 27th,2022, in the first instance as earlier conveyed to the Federal government in our letter with reference No.JAC/NS/Vol 11/192 dated 16th March 2022, addressed to the Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, titled "Re-Looming Industrial Action and Notice of Warning Strike."

The demands of the two unions include among others inconsistencies in IPPIS payment, non-payment of earned allowances, delay in the renegotiation of the FGN/NASU/SSANU agreement, non-payment of arrears of national minimum wage and usurpation of the headship of non-teaching units in clear violation of conditions of service and establishment procedures.

Others are neglect and poor funding of state universities, non-payment of retirement benefits to outgoing members and non-constitution of visitation panels to universities.

The unions said, "till date, except for the constitution of visitation panels which white papers are yet to see the light of the day, none of the issues as agreed in the October 2020 and February 2021 Memorandum of Action, MoA, have been implemented."