Valentine Okafor
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has demanded from the Federal Government immediate payment of the N50 billion outstanding Earned Allowances to universities and Inter-University Centres in the country.
The SSANU National President, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, made the appeal on Sunday in a communiqué issued at the end of the 43rd Regular National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Katsina.
Ibrahim said the NEC-in-session noted that the delay in the payment of the outstanding N50 billion earned allowance was long overdue.
According to Ibrahim, NEC-in-session deliberated on the promise of government to release the sum of N50 billion for payment of outstanding Earned Allowances to universities and Inter-University Centres.
“This promise is now overdue. Government is therefore urged to keep to their word and not to renege on their promises to avoid industrial dispute in the system,‘’ he said.
He also said NEC demand the immediate commencement and conclusion of the re-negotiation of the 2009 FGN/SSANU Agreement without any further delay.
He also said NEC called for the payment of arrears of the New National Minimum Wage for some of her members who either have not been paid or were yet to be fully paid.
Ibrahim however said NEC expressed worry over the usurpation of University Governing Council powers and functions.
“Statutorily, Council is the highest and final decision-making organ in any university. Some overzealous agents are trying however to truncate this process.
“Promotion in the system ends with the Councils of Universities, where a representative of the Federal Ministry of Education is also a member.
“Councils of Universities should be allowed to do their work devoid of interference by the Office of the Head of Service or any external agents for that matter.
“NEC clearly says no to the usurpation of the powers of Council in relation to the promotion of our members in universities and Inter-University Centres.
`It is poised to take all legal means to ensure that our members are not subjected to obnoxious policies,’’ he said.
He also said NEC decried the unwarranted increase in the pump price and deliberate hoarding of petrol, noting that the avoidable situation had plunged Nigerians into precarious economic situation.
According to him, NEC noted with worry, the various warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency about another round of heavy flooding in many states this year.
“NEC, therefore, enjoined the government at all levels to proactively undertake measures to checkmate the impending natural disaster which devastated several homes, roads and farmlands in 2022,’’ he said.
He said that NEC further called on the government for the payment of its members withheld four months salary during the nationwide strike.
He added that it becomes totally amusing and distasteful that government could in spite of the glaring legal compliance by SSANU on this industrial action, still proceed to withhold salaries of her members.