‘Varsity unions may declare indefinite strike if…’

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have threatened to go on an indefinite and total strike at the expiration of the five day warning strike if Federal Government fail to address the demands of the unions.

The five days warning strike declared by the unions on Monday 19th August, 2019 over federal government refusal to implement the 2009 agreements will elapse Friday.

Speaking with labour correspondents Thursday, National Vice President/ zonal Chairman of SSANU Northern zone, Comrade Solomon Alfa said the demands of the unions are discriminatory payment of arrears of Earned Allowances being owed our members, the non-implementation of the December 5, 2016 judgment of the National Industrial Court on University Staff Schools and the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/University staff Unions Agreements.

According to him, In 2009, the FGN entered into agreements with all the University Staff Unions on Earned Allowances. ‘

He said: “In 2013, the federal government released the first tranche of the arrears of Earned Allowances amounting to Thirty Billion Naira (#30bn) for payment to Federal Universities and Inter-University Centres workers. This money was released to the various Governing Councils for disbursement to the workers.

“However, in 2017, the second tranche of #23Bn was disbursed to the Universities in a very strange manner that is totally alien to any known accounting principle and best practices. The sum of N18.4 billion (89%) was allocated to the teaching staff (ASUU), while the Non-teaching staff Unions were allocated a paltry N46 billion (11%).

“The Inter-University Centres and the recently established Federal Universities were excluded. This discriminatory practice by the Federal Government was strongly criticized by the non-teaching staff with protests and strikes.”

Continuing he said “Government promised that this action would never be repeated. Contrary to its promise, the sum of N25Bn was approved and disbursed to Federal Universities in 2019 with N2OBn(80%) of the sum again allocated to the teaching staff (ASUU) while only NSBn (20%) to the entire non teaching staff.

“This time, the Inter-University Centres were again excluded in the disbursement. This repeated discriminatory practice by government of the day in favour of ASUU and against the non-teaching staff is not only worrisome but has portrayed the present government as bias as well as causing divide and rule, capable of creating disharmony in the system as an avenue to crumble and/ or kill the University education system.

“Finally , Government is hereby advised to expedite actions in addressing the issues raised and any other, in order to avoid the imminent mother of all strikes in the university sector,” he said.

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