SSANU, NASU, NAAT declare indefinite strike in Ondo varsities over unpaid allowances
Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) have directed their members in the Ondo state-owned universities to begin an indefinite strike on Wednesday over the non-implementation of the federal government-unions agreement and unpaid allowances.
The affected institutions are Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; and the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo.
The unions announced the strike in a jointly signed statement issued on Tuesday by Kunle Akinwonmi, secretary of the joint action committee of Ondo State-Owned Tertiary Institutions (JAC-ODSTI), and Tayo Ogungbeni, its chairman.
The unions said the decision was reached at an emergency meeting of the leadership of JAC-ODSTI held earlier on Tuesday.
On August 18, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo, approved a 60 percent increase in the monthly subventions to all state-owned tertiary institutions in the state.
A statement by Ebenezer Adeniyan, chief press secretary (CPS) to the governor, said Aiyedatiwa “also approved the immediate implementation of the agreement reached between the federal government and the unions of universities”.
Adeniyan said the approval, which took immediate effect and covered all state-owned tertiary institutions in the state, was aimed at addressing long-standing welfare issues and boosting staff morale.
The unions, however, accused the state government of failing to match its announcement with action, saying the implementation of the agreement had not commenced with the August 2026 salary as promised.
They said, contrary to the government’s announcement, the same old subventions were released to the institutions in August without the 60 percent increase.
“It is crystal clear that the state government is playing politics with our lives and wellbeing; therefore, we have no other alternative than to embark on this industrial action after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum given to the government to do the needful,” the statement reads.
“To this end, all the clerical, administrative, technical, clinical and other services being rendered by our members in all the various universities in Ondo state are hereby withdrawn until our CONTTA and all other allowances attached to it are paid unconditionally from January 2026 to date, please.”