SSANU Begins Five-Day Warning Strike at Sokoto Varsity Over Unpaid Entitlements

From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Sokoto State University (SSU) Chapter, has commenced a five-working-day warning strike over unresolved staff entitlements and other outstanding demands.

The industrial action, which began on Monday, November 2, 2026, followed the expiration of a 14-working-day ultimatum issued to the Sokoto State Government on October 14, 2026.

In a statement jointly signed by the chapter’s Chairman, Ismail Bala Muhammed, and Secretary, Mansur Ahmad, the union said the decision became necessary after the government failed to approve and implement its demands before the ultimatum expired on October 31.

SSANU said it had made several efforts to resolve the issues through dialogue, including verbal and written appeals to the Commissioner for Higher Education, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education and the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State.

The union explained that it initially submitted its demands over outstanding staff entitlements before forwarding a comprehensive document on July 28, 2026, covering both existing and new demands following the Federal Government’s agreement with SSANU on the 35 per cent Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA).

According to the statement, the state government subsequently constituted a committee comprising the Commissioner for Higher Education, the Permanent Secretary, the Deputy Accountant-General and Prof. Mustapha Aliyu to engage representatives of SSANU, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) from Sokoto State University and Shehu Shagari University of Education.

At a meeting held on October 9, 2026, at the office of the Commissioner for Higher Education, the government reportedly stated that arrears arising from the 25 per cent salary increment would not be paid.

It also indicated that the implementation of CONTTA would commence in January 2027, subject to budgetary provisions, while maintaining that annual salary increments had already been implemented.

Following the meeting, SSANU said it convened an emergency congress on October 13, 2026, where members resolved to issue a 14-working-day ultimatum and embark on a five-day warning strike if the government failed to address their concerns.

The union, however, said the implementation of the resolution was temporarily suspended after a meeting convened by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education on October 14.

At the meeting, the union was asked to resubmit its demands, clearly separating existing entitlements from new requests and providing their respective financial implications.

SSANU said it complied with the directive on October 15, formally suspending its earlier resolution while maintaining that all outstanding demands must be approved and implemented within the stipulated 14-working-day period.

It added that a reminder was subsequently sent to the Commissioner for Higher Education on October 22, but no concrete action was taken before the ultimatum expired.

The outstanding demands listed by the union include:

1. Payment of arrears arising from the 25 per cent salary increment.
2. Approval and immediate implementation of the 35 per cent Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA).
3. Implementation of annual salary increments for all eligible members.
4. Release of all outstanding check-off dues withheld from the union.

The union maintained that its demands were legitimate, arguing that the 35 per cent CONTTA was comparable to allowances already approved for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Sokoto State University and Shehu Shagari University of Education, as well as for teaching and non-teaching staff in other state-owned tertiary institutions.

It described the continued delay in addressing the demands as unequal treatment of its members, despite repeated efforts to resolve the matter through established dialogue channels.

While reaffirming its commitment to constructive engagement and industrial harmony, SSANU appealed to Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, relevant government agencies, traditional institutions, parents, students and other stakeholders to intervene and facilitate an urgent resolution.

The union warned that failure to resolve the outstanding issues before the end of the five-day warning strike could lead to an indefinite industrial action, potentially disrupting administrative and other non-teaching services at the university.