The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) has called on the federal government to pay four months’ salaries of members withheld on account of “no work, no pay when the union went on strike.
SSANU embarked on strike in March to press home its demands to the government. It, however, called off the strike in August following some agreements with the government.
In a communique issued by SSANU’s National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on at the weekend, the union called on the Federal Government to quickly honour the agreements on which it called off the strike.
It further asked states government who are owing lecturers in state-owned universities, to pay up.
The communique read in parts: “NEC similarly urges the Federal Government to expedite the process of upholding its part of the terms of the agreement on which the strike action was suspended.
“NEC noted that 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.
“NEC further observed that in embarking on the strike, all due consultations and deliberations were carried out with the relevant government offices. Due process was duly followed in line with extant labour laws.”
It said the action of the Government to withhold the salaries of members of the union was totally unnecessary and had brought about untold hardship to hapless Nigerian citizens.
“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” the union added.
SSANU condemned the current trend in most states in Nigeria, where state governments that are unable to meet the financial, structural and capacity-building needs of existing state-owned universities, approve the establishment of new ones.
This unfortunate situation, according to SSNU, has brought about the gross underfunding of most state-owned institutions and resulted in the depreciation of the quality and standard of education that is acquired in such institutions.
“NEC, therefore, urges state governments to conduct a needs assessment of their existing universities with a view to ascertaining deficiencies within them. The findings and recommendations of the needs assessment will guide the state government to allocate adequate funds to such institutions to enable it meet international best practices and save their universities from imminent collapse.” It advised.
The union further expressed concern over the poor status of funding and nonpayment of Salaries of SSANU members working in some Universities such as: Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa and Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko.
Others are: Kwara State University, Malete.; Plateau State University Bokkos and Abia State University, Uturu among other.
SSANU decried the incessant proscription of trade unions especially in the university system, saying it is an infringement on the fundamental rights of the group affected.
“NEC notes that it has become a trend for State Governors or even Vice Chancellors to proscribe trade unions at the slightest provocation.
“The case of the proscription of trade unions at Bamidele Olumilua University of Education Science and Technology, Ikere, Ekiti and the actions of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki in the state-owned Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma are vivid examples. A situation where the State Governor is owing staff their legitimate wages, but goes ahead to proscribe the unions is not only illegal, antidemocratic, wicked, but barbaric” the communique said.
The union asked the Federal Government to call State Governors to order to prevent them from towing the path of dishonour, stating that it is not in the power of state governments or Vice-Chancellors to proscribe unions.
On the issue of the ravaging flood in the country, the union expressed disappointment at the lukewarm approach of the Federal Government to the unprecedented natural disaster by not showing enough empathy through provision of relief materials and physical presence of her agencies.
“We therefore urge the Government to direct NEMA to live up to its responsibilities by urgently providing relief materials equitably to all affected areas.
“State Governments are also required to use the ecological funds to ameliorate the sufferings of her affected indigenes. In addition, the 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.
“NEC calls on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the affected states, as 33 out of the 36 states of the federation are currently devastated by the floods. The Federal Government should also as a matter of urgency put in place measures that would bring an end to future occurrence of perennial flooding in Nigeria,” it recommended.
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