The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has announced plans to initiate a three-day warning strike starting on Wednesday, March 20, to protest the non-payment of four months’ withheld salaries.
Following a directive by Bola Tinubu in October 2023, university workers who participated in a prolonged strike in 2022 were to be compensated for the four months they went without pay during the strike. While members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have received payment for the stipulated period, NAAT members are yet to receive their dues.
In a statement, NAAT President Ibeji Nwokoma revealed that the decision to embark on the warning strike was reached during the union’s National Executive Council emergency virtual meeting. The strike will be accompanied by a nationwide protest on the first day to emphasize the demand for the payment of withheld salaries, as approved by the Presidency.
Nwokoma emphasized the necessity of the strike due to the disparity in salary payments between NAAT members and those of a sister union, despite assurances from the government. Despite appeals for fairness and justice, including a letter dated February 16, 2024, to the Minister’s office, there has been no acknowledgment or response.
The NAAT president urged the Federal Government to fulfill its promises to avoid disrupting academic activities in universities, warning that the government would be held accountable for any such disruptions.
