Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has said that the ‘no work, no pay’ policy invoked by the Federal Government during the eight months strike embarked by the four unions in the public universities should not affect its members because all the due process as specified by law were followed.
SSANU also explained that the four university-based unions rejected the 23.5 percent salary increase offered by the government because it was too meager to cushion the effect of the high cost of living occasioned by the harsh economic situation in the country.
The National President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim told Vanguard that the Joint Action Committee, JAC, comprising his union and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU decided to suspend the strike because of the respect they have for the government, their patriotism for the country and the plea of students and parents as well as the general public.
“It is only proper that as we have done this (suspending the strike) to bring life into the system, government should reciprocate the gesture,” he said.
He also lamented that after two months the union called off the strike, it was expected that the renegotiation exercise should be concluded, nothing has been heard from the government.
Comrade Ibrahim further lamented that some of the SSANU members that are staying in rented apartment and their children in schools cannot afford to send the children back to school since academic activities resumed because there was no money to do so since the government had withheld their four months’ salary.
The union frowned at the government discriminatory policy in the payment of hazard allowance to medical workers in the Federal Medical Centers, and teaching hospitals while the medical workers in tertiary institutions were completely omitted and called the government to consider SSANU members that are medical workers in the payment of the hazard allowance.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its Special National Executive Council meeting in Abuja where some critical issues affecting the Union, the Nigerian University system and the country in general were deliberated, the leadership of the union commended all members for their resilience in the midst of the hardship experienced during the industrial action.
“It is on record that despite the nonpayment 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. Members are urged to continue to have faith in the leadership of the Union as no effort shall be spared in pursuing their welfare and rights in the University system,” stated the communiqué.
According to the communiqué, “NEC similarly urges the Federal Government to expedite the process of upholding its part of the terms of 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.
“The action of the Government to therefore withhold the salaries of members of the union is totally unnecessary and has 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.”
SSANU in the communiqué signed by its national president, Comrade Ibrahim, “NEC expressly rejects the current trend 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.
“Consequently, the resultant effect is the depreciation of the quality and standard of education that is acquired in such institutions. Service delivery in such institutions is constantly nose diving, because most staff are owed their legitimate payments for services rendered.
“The lack of financial capacity to adequately fund state-owned institutions has also resulted in inadequate provision of equipment and facilities in the various offices, laboratories and practical centres in the university.
“NEC therefore urges state governments to conduct 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.
“NEC expressed particular concern over the poor status of funding and nonpayment of Salaries of SSANU members working in these Universities; Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko, Kwara State University, Malete, Plateau State University Bokkos, Abia State University, Uturu, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Cross River University of Technology, Calabar and Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti.”
