Like SSANU, NASU, NAAT suspends five-month strike

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has suspended its nationwide strike after five months.

Ibeji Nwokoma, president of the association, broke the news at a briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

According to him, the suspension of the 158-day-old strike would last for only three months.

He also disclosed that the move followed results of a referendum from branches which showed that 80 per cent voted in favour that the strike be suspended.

The NAAT president said while the strike lasted, the association’s executives had “robust engagement” with government representatives and got the government’s commitments to address its demands.

“As a product of these efforts, the union was able to extract the following resolutions and commitment from government as follows,” he said.

“Payment of Arrears of Earned Allowance; government made a commitment of N50bn for payment of earned allowances to all members of the four university based unions by January, 2023.

“Release of Circular for CONTISS 14 and 15 for Academic Technologists; minister of education agreed to do the necessary follow-up at the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to facilitate the release of the circular within the shortest time.

“By this development, all NAAT members in tertiary institutions are directed to resume work with effect from the date stated above.”

Nwokoma said the association, however, rejected the government’s ‘No work, No pay rule’.

NAAT had embarked on strike on March 21 to protest the non-implementation of its demands by the federal government.

The suspension of the strike comes a few days after the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) also ended their nearly five-month strike.

It also comes amid the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).