Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), South- South Zone has threatened to down tools if the Federal government fails to re-negotiate the 2009 agreement with the association and implement the Memorandum of Action.
This is contained in a communique issued at the end of the 4th Zonal Executive Council Meeting of the South-South Zone of SSANU, hosted by Akwa Ibom State University, AKSU.
Briefing newsmen, Comrade Cheta Azumah, the Vice President South South Zone, SSANU, recalled that the Memorandum of Action, the union entered with government in February 2021 has never been implemented, part of which includes the payment of National Minimum Wage arrears.
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Azumah regretted that the 2009 agreement the government entered with the union was agreed upon freely to be reviewed every three years, lamenting that 12 years down the line, not up to 50 percent has been implemented and no review has been made.
The communique which directed the federal government to pay up minimum wage arrears to SSANU members without further delay, said that earned allowances and other allowances including responsibility, hazard, head of Units, call/ shift, Nurses, Doctors, Engineers among others should be implemented.
It stated that inconsistencies of the Integrated Personnel Payrolls Information System (IPPIS) has caused untold hardship to SSANU members by denial of many allowances, stressing that the association has developed what it termed “the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System” which is robust enough to cater for the University system and its workforce.
The SSANU commended the Akwa Ibom State government for its workers’ friendly disposition with members of AKSU, and, however, called on the Cross River State government for pay up salaries of members as well as release their check off dues.
The union frowned at proliferation of University campuses in Edo State and urged the Edo State government to concentrate on the already existing universities by ensuring that salaries owed its members are paid and check up dues released.
It condemned what is called “The nonchalant attitude exuded by the Rivers State government towards staff school matter’’ and directed the government to settle the matter.
Describing SSANU as a reasonable union and reluctant to down tools as it considers the negative effect of strike on the education sector, stakeholders, students and parents, the body, however, vowed that all organs of the union within the South South Zone are prepared to embark on strike when they get signal from the National body, if Federal government pays deaf ear to its demands.
Our correspondent reports that delegates at the 4th Zonal Executive Council Meeting deliberated on issues affecting the non-teaching staff in the Nigerian university system, decrying the insensitive and nonchalant approach of the federal government towards the education sector.
Report filed by Etieno Ibanga
