—Insists FG should pay members
— Accuses Labour, Education Ministers of docility
—Mobilizes for indefinite strike

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, ABUJA

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has lamented that it lost over 100 of its members as a result of the non-payment of their four months’ salaries during the 2022 strike embarked by the four University unions

SSANU has also criticized some of the Ministers for not hitting the ground running as directed by President Bola Tinubu, alleging that while the Ministers of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and Works, Nyesom Wike and Dave Umahi respectively have obeyed the directive, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong and his counterpart in Education, Tahir Mamman have decided ‘to hit the bed sleeping.”

Speaking in his remarks at the 45th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting, held at University of Maiduguri, Borno State, the national President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, also stated that the union was yet to get any circular concerning the recent approval of 25 percent and 35 percent salary review for workers in higher institutions in the country.

SSANU further frowned at the federal government delay in concluding the 2009 renegotiation agreement and advised the government to conclude it without further delays.

According to Ibrahim, “We lost over 100 members as a result of the government inability to pay our members their four months salary. Some of them could not meet up with their medical needs. We will not forfeit our salaries because it is our right and the money has been budgeted for.

“The refusal to pay the withheld salary is anti labour, inhuman because if it’s claimed that we went on strike, our strike was legal and it followed all due processes and protocols. We did not wake up to go on strike, we wrote and we were discussing and it was because we got stampeded and government withdrew from our discussions and we were pushed to the wall and the labour laws also gives us the right to withdraw our services, this was exactly what we did. We didn’t break anybody’s head, we didn’t violate any law. Our money has to be released for peace to reign.

“We are aware that the President of this country Bola Ahmed Tinubu, did instruct his Ministers to hit the ground running and we have seen one or two, positively or negatively they have hit the ground running. Even the greatest of Wike’s critics cannot say he has not hit the ground running.

“Even the greatest of the critics of Umahi cannot say that he has not hit the ground running but our Ministers of Education and Labour, they have hit the bed sleeping because the only way members of SSANU will understand that they have hit the ground running is to release our withheld salaries and also fastrack the release of this reviewed salaries.

“Hitting the ground running is not only semantics but it is actionable. We have written to congratulate both the Ministers of Education and the Ministers of Labour. If truly they want to hit the ground running, we expected by now they should have met the university-based unions but we realize that there is a new style of governance of only meeting with people whom they are afraid of.

“We are not also reluctant nor are we afraid of making the trouble but our strategy in SSANU is different because we are people who think before we act and that is why we only raise our voices when the kneels of the antagonists are on our neck.”

The association in its communique said, “NEC in session for the umpteenth time condemns the action of government on the withheld four months salary arrears during the last nationwide strike embarked upon by it’s members, viewing it as insensitive and inconsiderate.

“It was obvious that SSANU complied with all legal provisions including giving adequate notices to the appropriate authorities but were forced to embark on that strike due to the Government’s failure to honour her path of the agreement.

“SSANU therefore earnestly requests the Government to pay the withheld salaries without any further delay considering the harsh economic realities currently faced by citizens in the country as the Government is aware, the value for the money has already been eroded by hyperinflation.”

On the sufferings Nigerians are passing through as a result of subsidy removal on petrol that has led to a high cost of living, the association called on the government to be sensitive to the plights of Nigerians.

“SSANU members hereby request that this government, having claimed that they are different, having claimed that they are strategic and that they are bringing in the best of brains that the economy of this country and the welfare of our members in SSANU is at it’s lowest web, people are suffering, members cannot go to work, families cannot feed effectively, health issues cannot be attended to, school fees cannot be paid.

“What we need at this point is the immediate approval and payment of a realistic palliative in the name of salary award to cushion the effect of the dire devil removal of subsidy. This if done and in addition to what has been approved, will give us some relief, will make us understand and will convince us to do our work.

“Incidentally as you are aware, SSANU is one of the 54 affiliates of NLC and that NLC in its wisdom has decided to take the bull by the horn to stand by the side of history, to identify with the sufferings of the masses in Nigeria. To condemn government insensitivity, insincerity of refusing to allow the approval and implementation of payment of wage award and distribution of palliatives to those that need it.”

On the implementation of the 25 percent and 35 percent salary increase for tertiary education workers, SSANU said, “NEC recalled the renegotiation of salaries for her members with the Committee led by the late Professor Nimi Briggs that was at the final stage where SSANU demanded for 700 percent wage increase but the Committee offered a 23.5% and 35% review to our members.

“NEC is also aware that a provisional sum of #100Billion had been budgeted for salary review of workers in tertiary institutions which is yet to be implemented.

“The recent announcement for approval of an increment of 25% and 35% for tertiary institution workers by the Government which was circulated in the social media is not a product of collective bargaining agreement with the University based unions.

“While grudgingly acknowledging this slight increase that is yet to be officially communicated to the union, our universities and inter-university centers, SSANU urges both Federal and State Governments to immediately implement the increment and pay the arrears without further delay.”

The SSANU President in his opening remarks had said, “The implementation of the reviewed salary should be made in such a way that it’s for the university system and not for a class of university or a group of universities.

“As I am talking to you, there is no single union that has a copy officially sent of what has been approved that is circulating in the social media.

“Why we will not deny because we have seen our Minister operate from social media, he is very friendly with the Facebook, just check his name Mamman Tahir, you see him updating every three, four minutes what he does including the release of that document immediately it was done, it was on his Facebook page meaning the stakeholders have not been involved.

“So, what we expect is that stakeholders example unions should have been involved because this is our own product. Unions should have been engaged even if we refuse to sign, but we should have been copied.

“Therefore, what we are saying at this point is that the routine thing to do is that that letter should go to the National Universities Commission, It is the regulatory body of the universities and the NUC should direct Councils and Vice Chancellors to implement the payment of this 25 per cent and 35 per cent to our members in all universities irrespective of federal or states.

“The university operates a unique salary table. While we are expecting them to do the needful, we can assure you that this leadership will not rest in its oars, we will follow our usual way of following up things. Yesterday (Wednesday), as we met at the level of NAC, we engaged the National Salaries and Wages Commission, the emanator of that letter and the IPPIS to confirm if anything like that is officially sent to them and as at yesterday (Wednesday) because things could have changed between yesterday and today (Thursday) nothing official has been done.”

It said the issue of renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/SSANU agreement is not only long overdue but has become necessary that the exercise be concluded.

“NEC in session agreed that now that Ministers have been appointed, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman SAN should hit the ground running as directed by the President. This will go a long way in addressing all industrial disharmony between the Government and the university based unions.

“NEC also demands that the Government should immediately reconstitute the renegotiation Committee with broad membership from amongst experienced university administrators with a marching order to complete the assignment within a reasonable time.”

On the proposed indefinite strike, it said, “NEC in session after due deliberations agreed that SSANU as an affiliate of the NLC will join the strike to protest the insensitivity of Government in providing palliatives to cushion the effect of removal of fuel subsidy.

“NEC therefore mandated all branches to mobilize her members to join the strike as declared as the demands before Government also includes the release of withheld salaries of university workers.

“NEC in session feels seriously agitated by the report of the Ad-hoc Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State Owned Universities which among other things recommended that State universities should not participate in nationwide industrial actions.

“NEC wishes to reiterate that SSANU at all levels ranging from National to branches is one indivisible entity. NEC therefore calls on Visitors to the State Universities (who are the State Governors) and Pro- Chancellors of all State Universities to urgently jettison that clause and in their best interest expunge it because SSANU will stop at nothing to resist any attempt to dismember the Union since this runs contrary to the Freedom of Association as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Labour Laws.

“NEC in session observed with serious concerns the dissolution of university Governing Councils who were yet to complete their tenure. The absence of Governing Councils in our universities has completely stampeded progress and development both in terms of policy and Staff development.

“However even while the university Governing Councils were operational their powers and functions were usurped by the Office of Head of Service of the Federation. NEC disapproves of this unethical practice which contradicts best global practices.

“NEC therefore calls on Government to stop this ugly trend and ensure that the University Governing Councils exercises their full autonomy which includes recruitments, promotions and infrastructural development.”