The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the federal government over unmet demands.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NASU and SSANU said the government has consistently failed to address their demands, despite several meetings and reminders.
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“Despite our repeated efforts to draw your attention to address concerns affecting our members in the universities and Inter-university centres, there appears to be nothing positive forthcoming from your office,” reads parts of the letter co-signed by SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi.
JAC said the seven-day notice is effective from Monday, 15 September, after which they would embark on a series of industrial actions.
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Demands
In the letter, both unions listed three demands: unjust disbursement of N50 billion earned allowances; outstanding withheld Salaries and 25/35 per cent Salary Increments; and the renegotiation of 2009 agreements with the federal government.
JAC had said the N50 billion earned allowances released by the government for university staff were shared disproportionately, with 70 per cent going to the academic staff while the remaining 30 per cent went to all non-teaching staff unions, including SSANU, NASU and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
The unions also said it has only had one meeting with the Yayale Ahmed-led committee, inaugurated in October last year to renegotiate the 2009 agreement with the university-based unions.
“…since then the federal government team has gone into limbo with the non-teaching staff unions, whereas information at our disposal confirmed that the same federal government team has already concluded renegotiation with our counterpart, the academic staff union in the sector and at the verge of signing an agreement..,” the letter said.
Failed efforts
JAC said these concerns were presented to the minister via a letter on 18 June and at a meeting with him on 4 July.
The letter noted that the 4 July resolution stated that a tripartite committee comprising representatives from the education ministry, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and JAC of NASU and SSANU would be constituted to resolve the ‘skewed’ distribution of the earned allowances.
It added that the minister, at the meeting, also pledged to ‘set machinery in motion’ to resolve the payment of arrears of 25/35 per cent salary increments owed to the non-teaching university staff members.
After months of silence, JAC said a letter of reminder was sent to the minister on 18 August, reminding him of the resolutions at the 4 July meeting.
“Regrettably, we are yet to see progress,” it said.
Strike looms in Nigerian universities
The SSANU and NASU strike threat is coming even as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have also accused the government of failing to meet their demands.
ASUU recently protested across all campuses and warned of a potential strike.
The university-based unions have for years locked horns with the government over the non-renegotiation and implementation of clauses in the 2009 agreements they had individually with the government.
Meanwhile, the non-teaching unions have routinely accused the government of favouring their academic counterparts during negotiations and disbursements of funds.
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For instance, while the Yayale Ahmed renegotiation committee has concluded renegotiation with ASUU and has submitted a draft to the government since February, the non-teaching staff said they have only had one meeting with the union since it was inaugurated 10 months ago.
The non-teaching staff also noted that the recently released earned allowances were disproportionately shared with the academic staff.
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