2009 Agreement: SSANU, NASU begin indefinite strike October 6

…Express disappointment implicit FG’s lukewarm cognition to their demands

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA-BARRING immoderate past infinitesimal alteration the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has threatened to commence indefinite onslaught connected October 6, aft the extremity of its two-week hold of ultimatum to the authorities implicit the abandonment of renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement.

SSANU expressed heavy interest implicit what it described arsenic the Federal Government’s persistent disregard for Memoranda of Understanding, MoUs, Memoranda of Action MoAs) and different duly negotiated corporate bargaining agreements entered into by the 2 parties.

The Union reiterated that specified agreements, reached done structured dialog and communal consent, are binding and indispensable beryllium honored successful full, informing that if the signifier of neglect continued, the Union volition person nary prime but to research each lawful and due avenues to compel compliance.

This among others were contained successful its communique astatine the extremity of its 52nd National Executive Council, NEC, gathering held astatine the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, Imo State.

SSANU successful the communique signed by its President, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, frowned astatine the inequitable and negligible allocation of the ₦50 cardinal Earned Allowance, wherein lone 20 percent which amounts to ₦10 cardinal was allotted to the 3 non-teaching unions; SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT arsenic against the ₦50 cardinal agreed successful the signed MoU/MoA earlier the suspension of the 2022 concern action.

“This allocation is unjust, discriminatory, and fails to admit the indispensable relation SSANU members play successful the effectual functioning of Nigerian Universities. It is besides successful breach of the MoU/MoA signed with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU successful August 2022,” it said.

The relation called for an contiguous merchandise of the equilibrium of ₦40 cardinal Earned Allowance to bespeak principles of fairness, equity, and inclusiveness crossed each non-teaching unit unions of universities and Inter-University Centres successful enactment with the Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Action signed with the unions.

According to the statement: “After extended deliberations connected nationalist issues and the payment of its members, the NEC expresses heavy disappointment implicit the continued soundlessness and inaction of the Federal Government’s Renegotiation Committee regarding the 2009 FG/SSANU Agreement.

“NEC powerfully calls connected the authorities to grant the 2 weeks hold fixed by JAC of SSANU/NASU successful bid to avert  the  impending  industrial  crisis  in  the  university  system.”

On the non-payment of withheld salaries, the communique stated: “NEC powerfully condemns the continued withholding of salaries of SSANU members who participated successful the 2022 concern action.

“NEC therefore, urges the Federal Government to instantly merchandise the outstanding 2 (2) months withheld salaries arsenic a objection of bully religion and committedness to restoring concern harmony wrong the University system.

“NEC besides notes that third-party deductions from the already paid 2 months of withheld salaries person yet to beryllium remitted and truthful calls for the contiguous merchandise of these funds.”

The SSANU NEC besides expressed heavy interest implicit the deteriorating information of captious sectors, noting with dismay that the healthcare has remained underfunded, with outdated infrastructure and recurring epidemics specified arsenic the caller cholera outbreak successful Zamfara State and different parts of the country.

“Widespread insecurity including kidnappings, banditry, and communal clashes continues to disrupt regular life, displace families, and cripple economical activity. Agriculture and nutrient information are nether terrible threat, with an estimated 33.1 cardinal Nigerians facing acute nutrient shortages owed to conflict, clime shocks, and economical instability,” SSANU said.

It noted with alarm the mediocre authorities of nationalist infrastructure, including the caller Abuja-Kaduna bid derailment, and called for urgent improvements successful attraction culture, preventive surveillance, and extortion of multimillion-dollar nationalist investments.

It said: “Roads stay poorly maintained, powerfulness proviso unreliable, and flood disasters specified arsenic the devastation successful Yola South...