The House of Representatives has sought Federal Government’s quick intervention to enable Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU and other associated institutions to halt their impending strike to avert disrupting the academic calendar.
The House also called on the government to immediately set up a committee to resolve the alleged discrimination of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
It further asked the federal government to release the Earned Allowance of non-teaching staff from 2009 to 2016, urging it to audit university earned allowance to ascertain what was paid, to whom and the balance.
These resolutions were reached at Wednesday’s plenary, following a motion sponsored by Aisha Dukku from Gombe State.
Moving the motion, entitled “Urgent Need to Avert the Impending SSANU, NASU Nationwide strike,” Dukku said it was important to elicit the intervention of the House to prevent further interruption of academic activities.
She said: “The House notes that the Joint Committee of the non-teaching staff in the universities has directed its branches to mobilize its members for a nationwide protest starting on Monday, July 15, 2019, before embarking on a strike.
“The action of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the non- Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions is as a result of the federal government’s refusal to recall sacked workers of staff schools and alleged discriminatory attitude of government against non-teaching staff.”
She expressed concern that SSANU and NASU also decried exclusion of its members from the workings of the National University Pension Company, NUPENCO, solely operated by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Dukku also observed that the manner money meant for payment of the earned allowances was being shared, remained contrary to any known accounting procedure and any known international best practice.
She expressed worry that the action of the non-teaching staff, if not addressed on time, would end up crippling academic activities and shutting down the nation’s universities.
Contributing to the debate on the motion, T.J Yusuff (Kogi, PDP), pleaded with the government to urgently evolve measures to bring the workers to a negotiating table.
He added that failure to act on the part of those concerned was causing the nation more harm than good.
Other lawmakers, Bulus Maren (Plateau, PDP) and Sada Soli (Katsina, APC), who also spoke in support of the motion, agreed that it was imperative for government to address the issue.
When subjected to voice vote, the motion received overwhelming support.
Consequently, the House resolved to set up a committee to interface with the federal government and the non-teaching staff to ensure compliance of resolutions.
