Education

SSANU, NASU issue strike notice over unpaid allowances

Published

1 year ago

September 16, 2025

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions have given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum over unresolved welfare issues, warning of a looming nationwide strike.

In a joint letter signed by SSANU President, Muhammed Ibrahim, the unions decried the “unjust disbursement of the earned allowances to staff of universities, non-payment of outstanding allowances, among others.”

Ibrahim recalled that the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU had, in a letter dated June 18, 2025, drawn the attention of the government to unresolved labour matters. That letter, he noted, led to a meeting with the Minister on July 4, 2025.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the issues raised in the letter centred on: unjust disbursement of N50bn earned allowances; non-payment of outstanding withheld salaries and 25/35 per cent salary increments; and renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/NASU/SSANU agreements,” the unions stated.

They recalled that at the July 4 meeting, a resolution was reached to set up a Tripartite Committee of the Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission and JAC to address the “skewed distribution of the N50 billion earned allowances in which our members in the universities were shortchanged, while those in the Inter-University Centres were completely shut out of the distribution.”

The unions added: “While there was no conclusion at the 4th July, 2025 meeting on the issue of payment of two months’ outstanding withheld salaries owed our members, you pledged to set machinery in motion to expedite action on the issue of arrears of 25/35 per cent salary increments owed our members.”

They further lamented that despite a reminder letter dated August 18, 2025, nothing had been done.

On the delayed renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, the unions said: “It is on record that Alhaji Yayale Ahmed-led Renegotiation Committee inaugurated on 15th October, 2024 to review the 2009 agreements with the university-based unions only had inaugural meeting with JAC of NASU and SSANU on 10th December, 2024. Since then, the Federal Government team has gone into limbo with the non-teaching staff unions, whereas information at our disposal confirmed that the same Federal Government team has already concluded renegotiation with our counterpart, the Academic Staff Union, and at the verge of signing an agreement, while the Federal Government team has refused to engage the non-teaching staff unions and even sidelined us despite fulfilling all justifications including re-submission of our Memoranda of Demands.”

The unions accused the government of failing to act despite repeated reminders.

“In light of the persistent unresolved issues, and the apparent lack of responsiveness from the government to our legitimate concerns, we are compelled to serve a formal notice of seven days effective from Monday, 15th September, 2025 to address our agitations, failing which members of NASU and SSANU would embark on a series of legitimate industrial actions including strikes to press home our demands,” the letter read.

Last week, SSANU President Ibrahim warned of a crippling action if demands were ignored.

“Ours will not be the ‘mother of all strikes,’ it will be the grandfather of all strikes, because when SSANU or NASU strikes, you know what it means. We must take our destinies in our hands,” he said.

He lamented the plight of workers, saying: “The conditions of service of university workers are the worst hit financially, economically and psychologically.”

Like the Academic Staff Union of Universities, SSANU and NASU have also been at loggerheads with the Federal Government over welfare and conditions of service.

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Education

Lagos targets 2,500 medical varsity intake, expands capacity

Published

18 hours ago

October 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The Lagos State Government is planning to increase the annual student intake of the Lagos State University College of Medicine from about 500 to 2,500 by 2028.

To accommodate the expansion, the government would be repurposing the former CACOVID Centre at Mainland Hospital, Yaba, as additional teaching space for LASUCOM.

The state added that the move was also in line with its plan to transform LASUCOM into a full-fledged University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency said the former CACOVID facility was identified as an existing public asset that could be repurposed to provide an interim solution to the space requirements.

The Head of the agency’s Project Management Unit, who represented its General Manager, Yemisi Aderibigbe, said the facility had become under-utilised after the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, making it available for conversion to a new public purpose.

She said the state approved the renovation and expansion in December 2024, with PCP Construction Nigeria Limited appointed as the contractor.

Aderibigbe said, “Work began in March 2025 and covered demolition and site works, structural construction, roofing, walling, fittings and finishes, as well as mechanical and electrical installations for the main and ancillary buildings.

“Today, we are therefore formally handing over this facility to the end users, the Ministry of Health and the Lagos State University College of Medicine for optimal use.”

The Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, described the project as part of the state’s effort to expand capacity to train health professionals as Nigeria continues to contend with the loss of medical personnel to migration.

He said the government’s approach was to expand the domestic pipeline of healthcare professionals while also creating conditions that could encourage skilled Nigerians abroad to return.

The Provost of LASUCOM, Olufemi Idowu, and other officials attended the handover.

The repurposed facility is expected to provide additional capacity for teaching and practical training as the college expands its intake.

Source: punchng.com

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Education

FG pays eight months’ allowance arrears to varsity workers

Published

2 days ago

October 8, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Days after non-academic workers in federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education issued an ultimatum, the Federal Government has announced the release of their eight months’ arrears of the Consolidated Non-Academic Staff Tertiary Institutions Allowance.

The allowance covers January to August 2026.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the release on Wednesday.

The payment, according to the minister, signals the Federal Government’s efforts to address staff welfare concerns across the tertiary education sector and ease tensions that could threaten the stability of the academic calendar.

“The release of CONTA demonstrates the administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare and recognition of the critical role played by non-academic personnel in keeping tertiary institutions functional,” Alausa said.

He said the payment was part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to address legitimate welfare concerns, promote industrial harmony and minimise disruptions to academic activities nationwide.

“The administration will continue to strengthen institutions responsible for developing Nigeria’s human capital. A stable tertiary education system is essential to the country’s socio-economic development,” he said.

Alausa further gave the assurance that the Federal Ministry of Education would sustain consultations with relevant unions, heads of institutions and other stakeholders to resolve outstanding issues.

He appealed for continued cooperation from academic and non-academic staff, institutional authorities and unions.

The minister said that the education ministry would continue to prioritise staff welfare, institutional stability, human capital development and improved learning outcomes.

“The Federal Government remains committed to fulfilling its obligations to personnel in the tertiary education sector and addressing outstanding welfare issues in line with the human capital development objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Alausa added.

Source: punchng.com

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Education

Edo varsity lecturer dies after hotel romp

Published

2 days ago

October 8, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

A senior lecturer at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Dr Matthew Uwuigbe, has died after reportedly collapsing in a hotel room following a sexual encounter with a 21-year-old commercial sex worker, identified as Angela Defa Jacob.

The incident occurred on Sunday at a hotel in the Mosco area of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Uwuigbe had checked into the hotel with the woman and reportedly collapsed moments after the sexual encounter.

Confirming the incident on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, said three persons had been arrested in connection with the lecturer’s death.

She said, “On October 5, 2026, at about 8pm, the command received a report that Matthew Uwuigbe, a lecturer at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, had lodged at a hotel in Ekpoma and engaged the services of a 21-year-old sex worker, Angela Defa Jacob.

“He subsequently sent the woman to purchase water for him, and upon her return, she found him lying dead in the room.”

Ikoedem said the hotel owner, manager and the sex worker were in custody, while investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death continued.

She added that the deceased’s corpse had been deposited at the Oriaifo Memorial Hospital mortuary.

Meanwhile, the university’s Public Relations Officer, Otunba Mike Ade Aladenika, confirmed to PUNCH Metro that Uwuigbe was a staff member of the institution, but said the incident occurred outside the university campus.

He said, “We are not denying that he was our staff member, but whatever he did and what happened, it is his private life. The girl in question is not our student, and everything happened outside our institution.”

Source: punchng.com

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