—Education Minister moves to avert strike
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA — The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to release funds for the implementation of the recently signed 2026 Agreement and pay outstanding arrears, failing which it will shut down universities.
But the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in a desperate move to avert any strike, has assured that the funds would be released on or before next week.
SSANU took the decision to down tools if the funds are not released at its 56th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, at the weekend.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by its national president, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU noted that the arrears constitute legitimate financial entitlements of affected members and must be paid in full without further delay.
The communiqué stated that the meeting deliberated extensively on developments affecting the Nigerian university system, the welfare of members of the union and other issues of national importance, including the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement, funding of universities, security, the economy and cost of living, public education, accreditation of university programmes, food security, technology and cybersecurity, energy, the rule of law and the general state of the nation.
It said after exhaustive deliberations, “NEC acknowledged that implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement, which took effect from January 1, 2026, notwithstanding its formal signing on June 29, 2026, has commenced in some universities.
“NEC, however, expressed serious concern that implementation remains incomplete and uneven across the university system as a result of funding and administrative challenges.
“NEC categorically demanded the immediate release and payment of all outstanding arrears arising from the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU CONTTA salary structure, calculated from the effective date of January 1, 2026.
“NEC stressed that these arrears constitute legitimate financial entitlements of affected members and must be paid in full without further delay. NEC further observed that universities which have so far implemented the CONTTA salary structure did so largely through internally sourced funds, without direct cash backing from the Federal Government.
“NEC therefore called on vice-chancellors and governing councils of universities that are yet to implement the financial and non-financial components of the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement to draw lessons from institutions that have taken proactive steps to implement the Agreement in the interest of staff welfare, industrial harmony and improved organisational performance.
“Conclusively, NEC, in session, after exhaustive deliberations on the continued non-release of funds for the implementation of the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement, issued the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to release the required funds and ensure the full payment of all outstanding CONTTA arrears.
“NEC stressed that members have waited sufficiently for the benefits of an Agreement already concluded and therefore demand immediate and full compliance within the stipulated period.”
However, the SSANU president informed that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had assured them that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation was working hard to ensure that the funds were released by next week at the latest.
Comrade Mohammed said the release of the funds, as promised, before the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum would avert the situation.
He said: “At this juncture, I must inform you, comrades, that just before this press briefing, I received a call from the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, informing me of the current progress being made on the release of the money.
“He just confirmed to me that the Director of Funds in the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Accountant-General’s Office had confirmed that the money would be released on or before next week. We hope this will be done. And if that is done, it will avert the situation. Otherwise, our ultimatum stands.”
On the payment of the outstanding two months’ withheld salaries and one-year arrears of the 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases, “NEC expressed serious concern over the continued non-payment of the remaining two months’ salaries withheld during the 2022 industrial action and categorically demanded the immediate release and payment of the outstanding two months’ salaries to all affected members.”
The SSANU NEC further demanded the immediate release and payment of the outstanding one-year arrears arising from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases, stressing that these are legitimate entitlements due to affected university workers and should no longer be subjected to further delay.
“NEC therefore called on the Federal Government to take immediate steps to settle these outstanding obligations in full, in order to address the financial hardship being experienced by affected members and demonstrate commitment to the welfare of university workers.”
SSANU expressed concern over the uneven implementation of the Agreement in state-owned universities and noted the varying experiences across institutions, including developments in Ondo, Delta and Kaduna states.
“NEC strongly called on state governments and governing councils of state universities to ensure full and equitable implementation of the Agreement and to provide the necessary funding for its execution. NEC maintained that staff of state universities must not be treated as lesser partners in the Nigerian University System and cautioned that selective or delayed implementation could undermine industrial harmony.”
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