The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has called for the release of the N50 billion it agreed with the Federal Government for the payment of outstanding earned allowances of university unions.
The union also urged the government to settle the salaries of union members withheld during the four months of the last strike.
SSANU made the demands at the end of its 44th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture in Umudike, Abia State.
In a communiqué by its National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU said: “Arising from the collective bargaining agreements signed between the JAC of SSANU and NASU and the Federal Government, government had promised to release N50 billion for the payment of outstanding earned allowances to universities and inter-university centres. This agreement is yet to be fulfilled.
“NEC in session urges government to release funds for payment of the allowances without further delay as this was provided for in the 2023 budget.
“The Labour Act 2005 Section 31(6), as amended, gives rights to labour unions to embark on strikes in line with laid down procedures. It would be recalled that the government had reneged on collective bargaining agreements with the union, leading to the industrial action. SSANU complied with, and followed all industrial protocol before embarking on the strike.
“How then do they turn back and punish employees for fighting for their rights? It’s a case of beating a child and asking him/her not to cry. Let it be known to government that our members are yet to recover from the effect of the hardship caused by the withholding of their four months’ salaries, and may not recover from it unless government does something about it.
“NEC in session views government posture and position on the matter as unfair and unfortunate. We are well aware that salaries for those months were prepared; therefore, call on government to urgently pay the arrears of our members’ withheld salaries without further delay.”
The university workers also asked the government to review some of the conditions of the newly signed student loan scheme by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“SSANU is not averse to the introduction of the Student Loan to deserving students who are desirous of higher education. NEC in session, however, frowns at the conditions and modalities of accessing the Loan. The conditions are too stringent for any civil servant’s child/ward to fulfill. More so, SSANU, as a critical stakeholder in the university system, should be involved in the management of the scheme.
“NEC, therefore, requests government to involve all staff unions in tertiary institutions in this critical exercise as stakeholders. In the same vein, the conditions for the acquisition of the Loan should be reviewed to enable interested students to access and repay same,” the communiqué said.
SSANU also urged some universities owing its members arrears of the minimum wage to ensure quick payment.
The union appealed to the government to reinstate members of the dissolved governing councils of Federal universities.
