The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has appealed to the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) to call off their 7-day warning strike, which commenced on Monday.
The Minister expressed disappointment at the unions' decision to proceed with the strike, citing a disregard for the Federal Government's efforts to address their concerns.
According to Onyejeocha, the Ministry was not officially notified of the unions' intention to strike, as required by section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act.
Despite the Ministry's attempts to arrange an emergency meeting to avert the strike, a physical meeting could not be arranged, and only a tele-discussion took place between the unions' leadership and the Ministry. The Minister suggested another meeting date, but it was rejected by the unions.
Onyejeocha emphasized that strikes do not serve any useful purpose and should only be resorted to as a last option after exhausting all conciliation efforts.
She appealed to SSANU and NASU to step back from their hard-line stance and meet the federal government at the table for conciliation.
The Minister also appealed to all Nigerians to take steps that are beneficial to the well-being of the country and its citizens.
As the situation unfolds, the outcome of the strike and the potential impact on the educational sector remains uncertain.
