SSANU Issues Strike Threat Amid Salary Arrears and Pay Disparities

The Federal Government has been urged by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) to promptly give its members who took part in the 2022 industrial action the remaining two months’ withholding salary.
The union also expressed disapproval of the frequent delays in federal university wage payments, which frequently occur weeks after other government employees have received their paychecks.
At the union’s 51st National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which took place at the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology in Wudil, Kano State, these issues were among the main points of discussion.

The SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim, signed a statement at the conclusion of the conference in which the union called for the standardization of wage payments across all federal and state organizations, emphasizing that equity and fairness must be the guiding principles.
When it comes to pay cycles, universities shouldn’t fall behind. According to the statement, “the ongoing payment delay has become intolerable.”

Since the 2009 FG/SSANU Agreement hasn’t been renegotiated in more than ten years, the union expressed dismay at the Federal Government’s ongoing silence on the matter.

According to the statement, “the extended delay in starting substantive discussions is unacceptable.”

“To prevent an industrial crisis in the university system, we demand that the renegotiation process be immediately resumed and completed.”

It is “unjust” to allocate ₦10 billion to non-teaching staff.
Additionally, SSANU criticized the non-teaching staff unions, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and SSANU for receiving only ₦10 billion (20%) of the recently announced ₦50 billion Earned Allowance.

The union declared, “This allocation is discriminatory, unfair, and ignores the critical role SSANU members play in the efficient operation of Nigerian universities.”

The sharing formula was seen as a violation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreed with the NASU and SSANU Joint Action Committee in 2022.

SSANU will no longer put up with the Federal Government’s persistent disrespect for Memoranda of Action (MoAs), Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), and collectively bargained accords, according to the academic union.

“These agreements are binding and must be fully honoured because they were reached through mutual consent and structured dialogue,” the NEC stated. The union will have no option but to take all appropriate and legal measures to enforce compliance if this pattern of disregard persists.

Additionally, the country’s growing insecurity, especially in Benue, Plateau, and other areas where mass murders have taken place, is a serious issue, according to SSANU.

In addition to calling for a national security emergency, the union urged the government to fund contemporary infrastructure and restructure the country’s security framework by enhancing intelligence collection and security agency professionalism.

It also promoted tackling the underlying causes of violence, such as social inequality, young unemployment, and poverty, by means of focused empowerment programs.

Economic Changes Make Things Harder – SSANU
Notwithstanding their goal of stabilizing the economy, SSANU said that recent changes, like the removal of gasoline subsidies and currency unification, have significantly worsened the lot of Nigerians.

As food costs rise and purchasing power declines owing to inflation, the union noted that workers and disadvantaged residents are under unbearable strain.

The union urged the federal government to implement certain social protection measures to mitigate the effects of economic policies, including gasoline vouchers, conditional cash transfers, and food subsidies for low-income earners.

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As SSANU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the promotion of equity, professionalism, and good governance within the Nigerian university system and the larger national landscape, NEC urges the Federal Government to show sincerity, commitment, and responsiveness in addressing our demands.

The communiqué further stated, “The union is steadfast in its commitment to safeguard the rights, welfare, and dignity of its members nationwide.”