Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has asked the federal government to expedite the process of upholding its part of the terms of agreement on which the university workers recently suspended eight months strike.
The union also appealed to the federal government to rescind this decision of “No work, No pay” and release the withheld salaries of members of the Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU.
It expressed particular concern over the poor status of funding and nonpayment of salaries of SSANU members working in nine state Universities, including:Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko, and Kwara State University, Malete.
Others universities are: Plateau State University Bokkos, Abia State University, Uturu, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Cross River University of Technology, Calabar and Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti.
In a communique issued at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) held last in Abuja, SSANU said the root cause of the recent industrial action embarked upon by the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU was the failure of the government in honouring previous Collective bargaining Agreements entered into with the Unions.
In the communiqué signed by Comrade Mohammed Haruna, the union maintained that due process was duly followed in line with extant labour laws, adding the action of the government to withhold the salaries of members of the union is totally unnecessary and has brought about untold hardship to hapless Nigerian citizens.
It noted that in embarking on the strike, all due consultations and deliberations were carried out with the relevant government offices.
“NEC therefore, requests government to rescind this decision of “No work, No pay” and release the withheld salaries of members of the Joint Action Committee of SSANU and NASU
“NEC urges the federal government to expedite the process of upholding its part of the terms of agreement on which the strike action was suspended,” it said.
The leadership of the union commended all its members for their resilience in the midst of the hardship experienced during the last industrial action embarked upon by the Union.
It is on record that despite the non-payment of four months’ salaries, members displayed maturity and loyalty to the union throughout the course of the strike and showed more faith by resuming to their offices based on the assurances by the leadership following the agreement reached with government.”
SSANU further lamented the situation in most states in Nigeria, where state governments that are unable to meet the financial, structural and capacity building needs of state-owned universities, neglect already established universities and approve the establishment of new ones.
Some state governments now own more tertiary institutions than the financial capacity of their states. This unfortunate situation has brought about the gross under funding of most state-owned institutions.
In addition, SSANU frowned at what said was the tendency of state government and some Vice Chancellors to illegally proscribe union activities.
Regarding the recent devastating floods that ravaged 33 states across the country, SSANU said federal government should declare a state of emergency and take necessary steps to avoid a re-occurrence.
“Federal government should as a matter of urgency, embark on deep dredging of the Benue, Niger and adjourning coastal rivers to accommodate more water in case of future release from the dam in Cameroun,” it said.
