SSANU Decries FG’s Non-release of N50bn for Earned Allowances

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja 

The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) has expressed displeasure over the continued delay in the provision of funds for payment of earned and other allowances by the federal government.
In a communiqué issued after the National Executive Council meeting of the association held in Federal University Otuoke in Bayelsa, SSANU said that government should ensure that the N50 billion earlier appropriated should be recaptured in the 2025 budget, and that other pending allowances should be released without further delay.
The communique signed by SSANU President,  Haruna Ibrahim said: ” NEC-in-Session expresses displeasure over the continuous delay in the release of N50 billion for the payment of earned and other allowances which was appropriated in the 2023 supplementary budget. 
‘’NEC further frowns at the non-payment of the arrears of our 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increment for federal universities, inter-universities centres and some state universities”.
The communique said that SSANU unanimously resolved that the government should ensure that N50 billion  earlier appropriated should be recaptured in the 2025 budget, and our other pending allowances should be released without further delay. SSANU also demanded for the immediate payments of its two months’ withheld salaries.
The association commended the President Bola Tinubu-led administration for paying two months out of the four months withheld salaries of its members in federal universities and inter-university centres. 
It further noted that the two months arrears were paid without remitting third party payments such as cooperative deductions, dues for professional associations and others. 
“NEC appeals to the federal government through the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to as a matter of seriousness facilitate the payment of our remaining two months salaries and the third party deductions, so as to guarantee industrial harmony in all Nigerian universities and inter-university centres,” it said.
On the incessant cases of sexual harassment in the universities, the association frowned upon the rate at which students and staff are sexually harassed in the country’s tertiary institutions.
It  condemned an alleged case of sexual harassment involving the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Oye, Ekiti State, Prof. Abayomi Fashina against a Deputy Director of Works and Services of the same Institution.
SSANU warned that it was closely monitoring the developments and anything short of justice for the sexually harassed members of the union would be unacceptable. SSANU further expressed  concern over what it described as the humongous tax on various goods and services.

It said some of the taxes were affecting members’ meagre salaries through the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax, the hike in Value Added Tax (VAT) and numerous ‘unexplainable’ tariffs.