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Tag: Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)

  • We’re close to deal with SSANU, NASU, says Fed Govt

    We’re close to deal with SSANU, NASU, says Fed Govt

    •Unions urged to end strike

    The Federal Government yesterday said it was negotiating with members of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) to end their strike.

    Both unions went on an indefinite strike on Monday over non-payment of their four-month salaries that were withheld during their 2022 strike.

    The government spoke after a meeting with members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of both unions at the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja.

    Addressing reporters after the meeting, the former Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, who was mandated by the new Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to chair the meeting, explained that efforts were ongoing to resolve the issues raised by the unions.

    He said the government was using a holistic approach to resolve the matter while discussions had reached an advanced stage to meet the unions’ demands.

    Sununu assured the unions that the government was committed to having a stable educational system and resolving the lingering crisis in the sector.He said: “We have just had a meeting under the directive of the Minister of Education, who, along the line, joined us virtually, to address the ongoing strike commenced by the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU.

    “We have reviewed the reasons for the strike and we briefed them on the efforts of the Federation Ministry of Education to get the issues resolved. Where we are now – and we holistically looked at it – then added other issues that are likely to erupt so that the ministry can take a holistic approach to all issues.

    Read Also: Police confirm five dead, one arrested in Edo over food poisoning

    “At the end of the meeting, we all agreed that we have reached the advanced stage of addressing the situation and we will continue to work together for the strike to be brought to an end as soon as possible.

    “We are all happy with where we have reached in our discussion. We have also pleaded with them that in the last one year, they gave us their maximum cooperation in ensuring that we have stability in our academic sessions.”

    Sununu urged the unions to extend the same goodwill to the incoming ministers to ensure that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for every child to get qualitative education through skills and competencies is achieved.

    The Chairman of NASU’s JAC, Hassan Makolo, said the leadership of the unions would call off the strike when members confirmed they had received alerts.

    “We had a frank discussion on the issues at stake and, as we always say, the JAC of NASU and SSANU is not a strike monger. Some issues always lead to a strike.

    “Apart from the current strike, we have been able to discuss a number of issues that could crop up tomorrow and you would say JAC again. For the issues that members of JAC are on strike, we have come to an understanding that within some hours, if all we discussed here goes well, the strike will be called off.

    “What do we mean by ‘go well’? By the time our members begin to tell us they have received alerts, then we have come to the end of the struggle in our hands. I want to believe that we do not need to come back here to agitate for the same issues.”

  • SSANU gives FGN 3 day warning strike over N8b unpaid claims

    Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has said it will embark on a nationwide strike if the Federal Government failed to pay the N8 billion meant for their earned allowances in the next three days

    The union said the payment for the allowances has been pending since 2009 but was renewed by the present administration through a Memorandum of Action (MoU) in 2017.

    In addition to the unpaid earned allowances, the union is demanding immediate reinstatement of its disengaged staff school workers in line with the order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

    Chairperson of SSANU University of Jos Branch, Comrade Esther Ezeama made this position known yesterday during a peaceful protest held at the Union’s Secretariat located at the Naraguta campus in Jos the Plateau State capital.

    In her words, “We signed an agreement with the federal government of Nigeria in 2009, and up to now government is yet to honour that agreement. In 2017, we signed an M.O.A (Memorandum Of Action) and N8 billion was approved as part of the earned allowance for the non-teaching Nigerian workers, but up till now we are only hearing stories.

    “The government is sleeping on it and is not giving us any concrete reasons why that money is not paid. In the 2019 agreement the issue of staff school came up, an agreement was signed. But they later decided that staff school is no longer part of the university because it is a staff school and the federal government has been paying their salaries until 2016.

    “Most Universities have disengaged their members, we went to the National Industrial Court gave an order for them to be reinstated but the federal government is saying it has to gain an interpretation to that court order.”

    Ezeama lamented, “So many people have died because of lack of reinstatement and immediate payments of their entitlements, some lost their relations, some are sick and has no money to take care of themselves.

    “The federal government must do something very urgent, why is it that when court gives a judgment, the Federal government refuses to adhere to that? Does that mean government is above the law?

    “Our N8 billion is still hanging, we have gone on strike for 3 months in the past, we came back and we were given assurance but up till now we have not seen anything!

    “We were told that the accountant general is where the problem is and this is the 3rd month and we have not heard anything even with the templates they requested,” she stated.

    The Chairperson added,  “The Federal government must keep to her words, in the 2019 agreement, the issue of funding of the universities for infrastructural development of the universities was researched, they have promised that some money will be coming into the coffers of Universities but is only ones some of the money was released.

    “We know that our sister union(ASSU) is also on strike for that, and if we go on strike, it is not going to go well with the educational sector in Nigeria and we are saying that after 3 days of these peaceful protest, if the Federal government fail to attend to us we will be taking the next step.”

    Secretary of the Union, Comrade Anthony Joro commended the Vice Chancellor of University of Jos Prof. Sebastian Maimako for adhering to the court judgment by reinstating all disengaged staff school workers.

    But maintained that most other Universities are yet to comply with the directives of the National Industrial Court.

  • End in sight for Varsity non-teaching staff strike

    End in sight for Varsity non-teaching staff strike

    The three month old strike by non-teaching staff of Nigerian Universities may soon come to an end as there appear to be light at the end of the tunnel following conciliatory meeting between the striking and the federal government team.

    The three unions namely Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) operating under the acronym of the Joint Action Committee have been on strike since December 4, 2017 and have summoned a meeting of the National Executive Committee for Wednesday to access the strike.

    The Minister Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige who presided over the conciliatory appeal to them consider the plight of the students and return to work while the government address their demands.

    The meeting which had the leadership of the unions and the officials of the Federal Ministry of Education in attendance deliberated exhaustively on all the outstanding issues raised by the unions.

    Ngige recounted steps already taken by the current administration to permanently resolve all outstanding matters that disrupt academic activities in the universities as well as the measures being taken at present to settle the trade dispute with the Joint Action Committee and appealed to them to call off the strike.

    Chairman of the Joint Action Committee and National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Comrade Samson Ugokwe said the strike  continue until there is something concrete from the government side.

    Ugokwe told The Nation on phone after the meeting that a meeting of the leadership of the three unions has been called for Wednesday at the NAAT secretariat to take a position on the strike.

    He said the Minister of Labour has assured them that they will be formed of what the government is approving to meet the workers demand after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, adding that the figure from the government will be presented to the NEC for consideration, saying if members decided to suspend the strike, it will be suspended.

    Read Also: NUT urges FG to end strike in varsities

  • Strike: UniAbuja chapter of SSANU seeks NASS intervention

    Strike: UniAbuja chapter of SSANU seeks NASS intervention

    The University of Abuja ( UniAbuja ), chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU ), has called on the National Assembly ( NASS ) to intervene in the ongoing industrial dispute between it and the Federal Government.

    Members of Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising Non-academic Staff Union of Universities ( NASU ), SSANU and National Association of Academic Technologists ( NAAT ) have been on strike over Federal Government’s failure to pay their earned allowances.

    The strike commenced on Dec. 4, 2017.

    A statement by SSANU’s National President and Chairman JAC, Mr Samson Ugwoke, on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the leader of UniAbuja chapter of SSANU, Malam Hassan Shallangwa, had presented a letter requesting the intervention of lawmakers.

    He said that the letter was presented to Mr Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of House of Representatives, through his Special Assistant Media and Publicity, Mr Turaki Hassan.

    “The Federal Government, through its relevant Ministers, have refused to dialogue with the unions and are pretending that all is well in our campuses, but we believe that it is only the National Assembly that can call them to order in the interest of Nigerian Education

    ‘’The strike we embarked upon since Dec. 4, 2017 has been crippling almost all activities on our campuses, yet the government remained passive about it, ’’the statement quoted Shallangwa as saying.

    Ugwoke expressed JAC’s dismay that the N23 billion paid by the Federal Government was cornered to pay the Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU ) “for their Earned Academic Allowances.”

    He said that the three non-teaching staff unions were left with N4.6 billion (11 per cent), as earned allowances.

    NAN

  • Don’t force govt. to invoke no work, no pay rule – Ngige

    Don’t force govt. to invoke no work, no pay rule – Ngige

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has warned striking none teaching staff of Nigerian Universities not to Force the government into invoking the relevant sections of the Labour laws of no work, no pay against them, asking them to immediately call of their indefinite strike action and make a fresh case for “skewed disbursement of the N23 billion released to the Universities.

    In a state signed by the Deputy Director, Press in the Ministry, Samuel Olowookore, the Minister said the government was fully complied with the 12 point demands contained in the memorandum of settlement signed between the unions and the government on September 20, 2017.

    Ngige asked the union leaders to stop misguiding their members and avoid pushing the Federal Government to a situation where it will invoke the relevant section of the labour laws on No Work, No Pay, saying it will be disastrous in the season of Christmas and end of the year if implemented.

    According to him, the Federal Government has not only fully met all the twelve-point condition raised in the Memorandum of Settlement reached  with the Non-Teaching Staff of Federal Universities on September 20, 2017 but has also complied faithfully with the timelines for the implementation of the agreement .

    The non-teaching staff of Nigerian Universities made up of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) National Association of Academic Technologists(NAAT) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) operating under the acronym of the Joint Action Committe on Monday commenced a nationwide strike accusing the government of deceit and not living by the agreement signed with them.

    But while disputing the claims of the unions, the Minister asked them to call off the on-going indefinite strike and make a fresh case in respect of its reservation on the implementation of the Point One of the Agreement concerning the disbursement of the N23 billion Naira Earned Allowances.

    Ngige said it was important for Nigerians to be informed that the Federal Government has fully complied with its own part of the agreement and asked the non-teaching staff of universities not to blame the Federal Government for what the striking unions termed the “skewed disbursement formula” for the N23 billion Earned Allowances released by the Federal Government.

    According to him, “The Joint Action Committee of Non-Teaching Staff came with twelve-point demand. We sat over it and agreed on all, on September 20, 2017. As I speak, the Federal Government has fully implemented the major contemporary issues such as payment of shortfalls, registration with PENCOM etc. in the agreement.

    “The only grievance the unions have today is that the modality for the disbursement of the N23 billion the Federal Government released for the settlement of earned allowances is skewed against them.

    “But I advised them during the negotiation to call off their strike when it entered the fifth day and quickly forward their own template for accessing this N23 billion meant for the academic and non-academic staff of the universities, since the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had already submitted. They bluntly refused and dragged the strike for weeks.”

    The Minister however said that nothing has been lost and urged the unions to make a fresh case for inclusion in the 2018 budget, adding that the Federal Government was willing to address this, urging the unions to immediately call off their strike.

    Ngige flawed the argument that “they only resumed an old strike,” saying that a strike which has been adequately conciliated, called off, and the terms of agreement implemented, cannot yield itself as a basis for resumption of the same action. “If the unions under JAC are embarking on a fresh strike, they are yet to comply with the relevant sections of the Labour Laws for embarking on action.”

  • SSANU wants agreement with FG implemented, says don’t blame us for renewed strike

    SSANU wants agreement with FG implemented, says don’t blame us for renewed strike

     The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU ), has given indication of a possible threat to Industrial peace and harmony in the nation’s universities following government refusal to implement agreement it entered into with University based unions leading to the suspension of their strike action recently.

    The union asked the government to take immediate steps to implement the agreement saying the unions should not blamed for a breakdown of Industrial harmony in the universities.

    The union also decried what it called mindless and senseless killings of citizens in the Plateau, Benue and other states across the country by rampaging nomadic herdsmen, and the fact that nobody has been arrested by the security agents thus fueling the touted assumption that these marauders are untouchable and above the law.

    Rising from its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, the union frowns at the recent proclamation of “No work, No pay” by the Minister of Labour and Employment and strongly advises the Minister to play his part in removing those impediments that force unions to embark on strike, observing that Unions do not go on strike without reason. 

    It told the Minister that, rather than threatening workers and taking a belligerent posture, he should ensure that the Nigerian labour environment is more worker-friendly and agreements entered with trade unions, which could precipitate strikes, are respected and honored.

    In a communique the end of the meeting, the union regretted the failure of the Federal Government to implement all the components of the agreements it voluntarily entered into with the University based Unions and ask the government to expedite action on the payment of Earned Allowances as the ultimatum period of October 2017 signed in the Memorandum of Understanding has elapsed. 

    The communique signed by the National President of the union, Comrade Samson Ugokwe and the National Public Relations Officer, Salaam Abdussobura said the implementation of the agreement was necessary to forestall the possibility of resumption of another nationwide strike on the same matter. 

    It said the union should not be held liable if at the end of the day, the Memorandum of Understanding is breached by the Government and the Union is forced to resume its suspended strike to press home its demands.

     It expressed concern over the continued defiance of Government to the judgment of the National Industrial Court which unequivocally pronounced that University Staff Schools are integral part of the University System and condemns in strong terms the prolonged delay in producing the necessary circular specifically directing University administrations to include the staff in the University Staff Schools in the personnel payroll systems of Universities. 

    While commending the President Buhari led Government for its effort in ensuring the early passage of the 2018 Budget, the union lamented with great disappointment, the meager allocation of 7.04 % allotted to the Education Sector, adding that the Buhari administration has not departed from the misplaced culture of giving priority to capital projects at the expense of developing its manpower. 

    It said “If the Nigeria of today is to bequeath a legacy of development for tomorrow, Government needs to get its priorities right by ensuring education receives larger allocations. SSANU NEC expresses its disenchantment with the Budget allocation to education and advises that it is not too late for reviews to be made.”

    It also condemned the continued mindless and senseless killings of citizens in the Plateau, Benue and other states across the country by rampaging nomadic herdsmen, saying “more distressing is the fact that no arrest has been made by the security agents thus fueling the touted assumption that these marauders are untouchable and above the law. NEC therefore urges Government at all levels, to immediately check this ugly development by providing adequate security in affected places, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators in order to avoid reprisals and ceaseless killings.”

    The union also expressed the increased proliferation of universities in Nigeria. NEC, while not oblivious of the problem of access, which has continued to be a serious challenge to the sector, noted that the focus on the establishment of universities should not be on quantity at the expense of quality. 

    It accused the Government of giving licenses to establish private universities to the same individuals who had run public universities aground by the obnoxious policies and strangulation of the universities when they were in government, pointing out that many States that can barely manage and properly fund one university, had been given licenses to establish two, or in the cases of Ondo and Ogun states, even three. The union asked the National Universities Commission and the relevant Committees in the National Assembly, to review the policies of establishment of universities which are being bastardized by the day.

  • JAMB meets with ‘critical stakeholders’ to review UTME

    JAMB meets with ‘critical stakeholders’ to review UTME

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board ( JAMB ) says it will meet with “critical” stakeholders in education on Wednesday to appraise the general conduct of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME ).

    JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said this on Monday in Lagos that the meeting, scheduled to hold in Abuja, would brainstorm on the conduct of the examination and identify possible areas for review.

    Among the stakeholders expected at the meeting were Foreign Affairs Ministry officials, university lecturers, vice- chancellors and rectors of polytechnics, he said.

    “We are also expecting top media executives, state commissioners of education and heads of colleges of education.
    “Other stakeholders expected at the meeting are labour unions of Nigeria universities such as ASUU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), among others,’’ he said.

    Benjamin said the board had held a similar meeting with owners of Computer Based Test (CBT) centres and administrators nationwide to appraise the registration and conduct of the 2017 UTME.

    The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, had during meeting with administrators of the CBT centres announced new measures that would further strengthen the integrity and general conduct of the examination.

    Oloyede had also banned the use of pens, wrist watches and other devices as part of the newly introduced measures for the 2018 UTME.

    According to him, experience has shown that some candidates were using the devices to perpetrate examination malpractices.

     No fewer than 617 centres had been accredited nationwide for the examination while 72 others waiting for approval.

    NAN

  • Lecturers, others begin warning strike in Otuoke varsity

    Lecturers, others begin warning strike in Otuoke varsity

    Workers under the Joint Action Committee ( JAC ) of four trade unions of the Federal University, Otuoke ( FUO ), Bayelsa State, yesterday, commenced a five-day warning strike following allegations that the management of the school and the governing council were insensitive to their plight.

    The JAC, which undertook the action consisted of the Academic staff Union of Universities ( ASUU ); the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU ); the National Association of Academic Technologists ( NAAT ) and the Non-Academic Staff Union ( NASU ).

    The workers in a communique on June 22, 2017, cried out that the Senator Gbemi Saraki-led governing council was allegedly doing nothing about the issues of staff welfare, promotions, salary disparity, tax remitances, pension remission, statutory allowances, confirmation of appointment, among others.

    They also alleged that Saraki who is the Pro-Chancellor of the university was running the institution as her personal business.

    The workers in a notice sent to the Vice-Chancellor, FUO, Prof. Accra Jaja, and signed by the Chairman, JAC-FUO, Dr. Omororo Joseph, said that if their grievances were not addressed after the end of the warning, they would make the industrial action indefinite.

    The unions’ communique after their meeting said;  ”On behalf of the Joint Action Committee of the Federal University of Otuoke, we write to you (Vice-Chancellor). Having observed all due processess as well as relevant rules and regulations guiding the operations of the unions, we bring to your notice our warning strike.

    ”Sequel to the insensitivity of management and governing council of this university to the communique dated June 22, 2017, and associated reminders from JAC, a joint congress was held today (October 16, 2017) at the university auditorium, East Campus.

    ”In the light of the above, please be informed that JAC shall with effect from today, Monday, October 16, 2017, embark on a five working days warning strike.

    ”We hope that this action will give our communique the deserved response and attention in the interest of peace, harmony and stability of the university community.”

  • NANS urges FG, NASU, SSANU to shift ground

    NANS urges FG, NASU, SSANU to shift ground

    The National Association of Nigerian Students ( NANS ) on Thursday urged Federal Government and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities ( NASU ) to shift ground for industrial harmony.

    NASU National President Kadiri Aruna made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) in Enugu.

    NAN reports that NASU’s members and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU ) had been on strike for past three weeks over certain demands.

    Aruna said that the strike which was called off by Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU ) early this week would not make much impact if NASU remained on strike.

    He, however, said that NANS would engage the Federal Government as well as the leadership of NASU and SSANU to look to the plight of students and find a way to resolve issues.

    “As a matter of fact, by next week we are going to write officially to Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education, NASU, SSANU and other stakeholders in tertiary education sector for them to consider Nigerian students.

    “The recent call-off of strike by ASUU will not make an impact if the non-academic staff members of universities are not working.

    “The strike of non-academic staff of universities means that the campuses, although opened, but cannot function normal,’’ he said.

    Aruna, however, urged students to return to campuses and resume classes in order to meet up and cover the academic activities for the session.

    “We want our members, Nigerian students, to resume lectures forthwith in order to show our commitment to learning and appreciate lecturers that had resumed classes,’’ he said.

  • Strike: FG, non-teaching varsity workers reach agreement

    Strike: FG, non-teaching varsity workers reach agreement

    The Federal Government and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the non-teaching staff of Nigerian Universities have  reached an agreement over the ongoing  strike by the workers.

    The Minister of  Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige,  said this at a conciliatory meeting with the leadership of the JAC of the unions and other officials of the Ministry of Education on Friday in Abuja.

    It would be recalled that the non-teaching staff of Nigerian universities under the auspices of JAC embarked on  strike on Monday  over non- implementation of the 2009 agreement.

    The workers belong to the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU).

    The demands of the unions included  the payment of earned allowances, a review of the governance system in universities and  improved funding in line with UNESCO recommendations.

    Other demands included  provision  of infrastructure  in universities and payment of salary shortfall being owed members, implementation of the National Industrial Court judgment on university staff schools and  registration of NUPEMCO, the Pension Fund Administrator  proposed for university workers.

    Ngige, however, said agreements had been reached on all  the issues raised by the workers.

    “We held discussions on all these areas and we reached agreement  on all of them;  government has already approved and released  some N23 billion for earned allowances in the universities.

    “This is for teaching and non-teaching staff of the various universities in Nigeria.

    “ We agreed on this that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation is to expedite action on  mandate for this payment.

    “We have the issue of  shortfall;  the issue is already being addressed and some universities are already credited with some amount of money for their short falls, ‘’ he said.

    On the implementation of  NIC judgment  for  staff schools, he said that government through the National Universities Commission had  issued circulars directing the universities to implement the judgement.

    He also said  the Salaries and Wages Income Commission had  initiated the process of ensuring compliance with the NIC judgment, expressing the hope that this would  be completed within four weeks.

    On  non-registration of NUPEMCO as Pension Fund Administrator, he said  that the process had begun and a  consultant would be handling  this  on behalf of the unions.

    “ We have also reiterated our commitment that the appropriate filled forms and particulars be  submitted within one week while the Federal Ministry of Education will expedite action to bringing out the certificates.

    “ Also on the negotiation of the 2009 agreement,  we realised that Babalakin  Committee is handling that and has collected memorandum from the various unions,’’ he added.

    Ngige, who also reacted to the issue of inadequate infrastructure and  poor funding of universities, said the Ministry of Education was in the process of inaugurating a nine-man committee that would develop an alternative means of sourcing for  funds.

    He also said that the meeting jointly agreed that government should intensify  efforts  to checkmate the excesses of corrupt officials in the university system.

    The meeting  further  agreed that  universities  should also operate the Treasury Single Account  and that the office of the Accountant General of the Federation should  investigate cases of those operating multiple accounts.

    “We also agreed that government should expedite action and send visitation panels to federal universities that have not been visited and revisit the previous visitation panels for the purpose of implementation of their recommendations.

    “ Again on whistle blowing which is the new anti-corruption policy of this administration, government agreed with the unions that  whistle blowers should be protected

    “On the issue of CONTISS  14 and CONTISS  15 for technologists,  the technologists’  union, NAAT,  is to provide the Federal Ministry of Education with information that would assist the ministry to develop appropriate scheme of service for the new cadres  among others.

    “Finally,  it was agreed that the union members should not be victimised on  account of this journey they have undertaken to go on strike and the unions also are to revert to government on Wednesday,  Sept. 20,   after presenting  this to their  National Executive Councils, ‘’he said.

    Mr Samson Ugwoke, the National Chairman of JAC,  commended the labour minister  for his  honesty and commitment  in ensuring that the strike was called off.

    “We have all dotted these items one by one and agreed on  them, but you know we are messengers;  we were sent  here by our principals and we cannot endorse any of these as either  an agreement or MOU

    “So, what we agreed on today, on these issues that  we have put our heads together  on,  will be taken back to our various National Executive Councils  for deliberation  and we will  report by Wednesday, Sept. 20, ”  he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting between the Federal Government and the unions lasted about  11 hours.