NAAT, NASU, OTHERS SHUT DOWN UNICROSS OFFICES OVER SALARY ARREARS

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By: Tajudeen Aminat

Operations at the University of Cross River State (UniCross) were disrupted on Thursday after four staff unions shut down offices across the campus in protest against unpaid salaries.

The unions involved are the Joint Action Congress (JAC), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), the National Association of Academic Technicians (NAAT), and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

They directed employees to vacate their offices and withdrew all skeletal services that had previously been maintained at the institution.

After a joint meeting held on campus, union leaders ordered the immediate closure of all administrative offices, bringing activities to a standstill and compelling academic and non-academic staff, along with students, to vacate the premises.

A union spokesperson, who preferred to remain anonymous, explained that the action was prompted by management’s failure to pay workers’ January and February 2026 salaries.

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“We are insisting on the timely payment of our salaries. Our December 2025 salary was only received in late January 2026, and there is still no clear indication that January will be paid, let alone February,” he stated.

He described the situation as unjust to staff members, stressing that the unions had no alternative but to shut down offices until all outstanding salaries are settled.

In response, the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Francesca Bassey, assured that efforts are underway to address the salary arrears as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, students have voiced concerns that the industrial action could disrupt examinations slated to begin on Monday.

A Media Studies student, Alfred Obeten, urged the university management to swiftly resolve the impasse to avoid further setbacks to the academic calendar.

“This strike will once again hinder our academic progress. We appeal to management to pay the workers and prevent an extended shutdown,” he said.