SSANU cautions FG on new varsities

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has cautioned the federal government over the establishment of new varsities in view of numerous challenges confronting the existing ones.

The association explained that funds being budgeted to such ventures should be used to strengthen existing varsities for effective service delivery.

SSANU said only 10 per cent of its agreement with the federal government in 2009 had been honoured.

The association’s national president, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, stated this during the 2nd regular zonal executive council (NEC) meeting of the South-south zone held at the University of Benin in Edo state.

“Today, in Nigeria, there are a lot of misplaced priorities; proliferation of universities. The present varsities are not fully catered for. Members of staff are not paid correctly; yet we see establishment of universities day-in-day out,” he said.

He added that the SSANU president said the association “is currently engaging the federal government to correct the abnormalities in the hazard allowance of members.”

He described the Integrated Personnel and Pay System (IPPS) as “satanic,” adding that under the scheme, “the vice-chancellor of a university cannot employ a single staff.”