NAAT, NASU, others shut UniCross offices over unpaid salaries
University of Cross River State Staff Unions Stage Protest Over Unpaid Salaries
Cross River State — Activities at the University of Cross River State, known as UniCross, were disrupted on Thursday as four staff unions initiated a protest against the non-payment of salaries.
The protesting unions include 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).
In a coordinated effort, union leaders ordered workers to leave their offices, resulting in the suspension of all minimal services previously maintained within the institution. Following a joint meeting on campus, the unions directed members to lock all administrative offices, effectively halting university operations and compelling both staff and students to vacate the premises.
A union spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the action was prompted by the administration’s failure to disburse salaries for January and February 2026. “We are demanding prompt payment of our salaries as and when due,” he said. The spokesman highlighted that employees received their December 2025 salary only in late January 2026 and stressed the lack of clarity regarding subsequent payments.
Describing the situation as unjust, the spokesman asserted that the unions had no choice but to cease office operations until the outstanding salaries were addressed.
In response to the unrest, the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Francesca Bassey, acknowledged the situation and indicated that management was working to resolve the salary backlog as swiftly as possible.
Meanwhile, students have voiced concerns that the industrial action may impede upcoming examinations scheduled to begin on Monday. Alfred Obeten, a student from the Media Studies Department, urged university authorities to resolve the conflict promptly to avoid further disruptions to the academic calendar. “This strike will again affect our academic progress. We appeal to management to pay the workers and avert a prolonged shutdown,” he said.
