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Tag: SSANU

  • SSANU alleges marginalisation of members

    The National Vice President of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) Southwest Zone, Alfred Ilesanmi, has called for equal treatment of both academic and non-academic workers within the University system.

    He decried alleged low recognition being accorded members of the association in the university system.

    Ilesanmi spoke during the quarterly meeting of the Association held at FUTA, Akure,the Ondo state capital.

    The Union leader however singled out some Vice Chancellors as being good, particularly that of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Prof Joseph Fuwape, stressing that he must be praised for the way he had been handling issues of welfare.

    “We want to really single him out for the ingenuity that he brought in to resolve the crisis that engulfed FUTA before he came in as the VC and the way he resolved the issue and together with the issue of the staff school”

    He however said in other universities in Nigeria, some Vice Chancellors did not want to see non-teaching staff, while some malign and marginalise them.

    “For instance, in the university system, we have the teaching staff and non-teaching staff, and all of them work together to produce one product which is the graduate. So if our members are not given their fair due in the system, the impact will be glaring, there cannot be industrial peace in the system. We expect that the needful should be done so that everybody working together in the system has a good sense of belonging in the system,” he said.

    Ilesanmi urged all VCs and people that are saddled with the responsibilities of managing the system to take everybody along and give everybody their fair share in the system.

    He said the welfare of everybody must be taken into consideration, stressing that nobody should be seen as second class citizen within the system

    The SSANU Chief said: “The major problem is that most VC see themselves as member of ASUU and they always want to satisfy that their own constituencies and all of these are because of their selfish interest because every VC will believe that it is when they please this set of people in the system that they can achieve and rise to the peak.

    “But a few of them who knows their onions have always done the right thing irrespective of who is not happy about it, so that ego is the main problem against the non-teaching that is creating the problem that we have .

    “One of the VC did suggest that SSANU and other non-teaching staff should be outsourced because they are the problem in the universities.

    “Even in world class universities the ratio of academic to non-teaching is not the same but out of the selfishness they are saying the non-teaching staff should be outsourced.

  • SSANU honours varsity Registrar

    The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) of the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), Okitipupa, has awarded Acting Registrar of the institution, Felix Akinnusi, as SSANU person of the year.

    At the award ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Ogunduyile, expressed the need for universities to meet their full economic costs of teaching and conducting research.

    The don praised Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his determination to uplift the institution to achieve its goal in providing higher education standard.

    Akinnusi pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him with the award. He hailed the Vice Chancellor and SSANU for its vision in uplifting the university.

  • SSANU to Unilag: pay our allowances with IGR

    SSANU to Unilag: pay our allowances with IGR

    THE non-academic staff of the University of Lagos (Unilag) yesterday protested round the campus to get management to meet their demands.

    Under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) – Unilag chapter, the workers urged management to source its outstanding allowances from its internally generated revenue (IGR) in order to fulfil its obligations.

    The union said as at this month, the outstanding allowances for each member stand at N2,640,000 and N1, 185,000 for the senior and junior staff.

    SSANU-Unilag Chairman Comrade Adekola Adetomiwa, said the union  had written the governing council on the issue about five times, but got no response.

    According to him,  the 2009 agreement acknowledges nine allowances and mandates the federal Government to take care of five. Universities’  governing councils, he added, are to  handle the rest via their IGR.

    Unilag, he said, had the resources to pay the workers from its IGR, noting that  SSANU and other sister unions (except the Academic Staff Union of Universities) are on strike  nationwide  over discrepancy in the sharing formula of the N30 billion earned allowances given to federal universities.

    Adetomiwa said: “While the fight for the injustice committed at the federal level should be vehemently sustained, this piece is to enlighten us about the injustice going on under our roof at the local level and to aggregate our unanimous resolve to fight the local injustice. We shall continue to challenge and engage our council to come out of complacency and fulfil its own obligation with our members in line with the 2009 agreement. I consider it as complacency when the magnitude of cash accruable to Unilag as IGR is compared to what obtains in other universities.”

    In 2012, he said,  the university senate set up a standing committee which recommended that hazard allowance be paid to senior and junior staff at N30,000 and N15,000.  Another committee inaugurated by the Governing Council in 2015, the SSANU chief said,  conducted a peer review and upheld those allowances.

    He accused management of   coercing the workers  to return to work.

    “Last week, the erstwhile chairman of the union, Comrade Oriwaye Adefolalu, and I were invited and briefly detained. We became guests of the police and Directorate of State Service (DSS). We were taken from the comfort of our homes in the night. I was not told my offence and no charge was preferred against me. I only know that the enemy of our welfare struggle was at work. This unwarranted intimidation of our leaders has been taken up by the legal team raised by the union secretariat in Abuja,” he said.

    But the university public relations officer,  Mrs Taiwo Oloyede, pleaded for more time to respond.

    “I have heard all you said but I will get back to you because I don’t want to give you wrong information,” she told our reporter.

     

  • VC’s 2 years: LASU has been transformed, staff, students say

    VC’s 2 years: LASU has been transformed, staff, students say

    Members of staff and students of the Lagos State University ( LASU ) said on Thursday that the institution had experienced positive changes in the first two years of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, in office.

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State appointed Fagbohun as eighth substantive Vice-Chancellor of LASU on January 6, 2016 and inaugurated him on January 11, 2016.

    Fagbohun, a professor of Environmental Law, was appointed following Ambode’s approval of five-year single-term tenure for all helmsmen of the state-owned tertiary institutions.

    Fagbohun’s appointment also followed the expiration of the tenure of Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa, the seventh substantive Vice-Chancellor of the institution on October 31, 2015, after which Prof. Fidelis Njokanma, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) held office as Acting Vice-Chancellor.

    Mr Saheed Oseni, Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), LASU Chapter, told NAN that several segments of the institution had to a large extent, experienced transformation within the last two years.

    Oseni said although there were ups and downs which were humanly inevitable, the incumbent vice-chancellor’s administration was quite commendable .

    He, however, urged Fagbohun not to rest on his oars, but to initiate policies that would bring more smiles to the workers’ faces because the end justifies the means .

    “To a large extent, things have been transformed in LASU within the last two years; but the vice-chancellor must endeavour to do more because it is not the beginning that matters, but the end.

    “He must also ensure that all pending contentious issues are resolved amicably, while the rule of law must be upheld to the letter while making sure that no party within the system is unjustly treated, ” he said.

    Mr Samuel Olalere, President of LASU Students Union (LASUSU) said the university was not what it used to be, because it had seen a lot of progress.

    Olalere said the students community was pleased with the current administration and its system because the atmosphere in the campus had been relatively serene.

    “This is my fourth year in LASU and I would not have been involved in students unionism if it was the LASU of then.

    “But because things have really changed under Prof. Fagbohun, and we are enjoying peace, that is why I am now a student union leader,” he said.

    Read also: LASU undergoing internal cleansing – Spokesman

    Olalere, however, urged Fagbohun to continue to maintain the peace enjoyed within the university community and to ensure that the LASU brand was incomparable globally.

    Mr Adekoya Martins, the University Spokesman, said that LASU had witnessed tremendous improvement in all facets within the last two years, compared to its 35 years of existence.

    Martins said that Fagbohun’s achievements so far hinged on the Lagos State Government’s support and funding, to ensure that all roads in the institution are in good shape and to ensure the community was well lit.

    “Other infrastructure being put in place, aside beautifying the entire university environment, include installation of a new generator at the Faculty of Arts, renovation of some classrooms and the university’s Iba road entrance,” he said.

    According to him, the restoration of peace in the university has ensured uninterrupted academic calendar within the period.

    “Staff, within the two years administration, got their outstanding and due promotion; and no staff duly qualified was denied promotion, while the end of the year package was improved upon,” he said.

    Martins said the Open and Distance Learning and Research Institute (ODLRI) established to replace the LASU External system which was recently phased out was recently approved by National Universities Commission.

    NAN

  • NASU berates inadequate funding of libraries

    NASU berates inadequate funding of libraries

    The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions ( NASU ), has expressed dismay over inadequate funding of the National and State libraries across the country.

    Mr Micheal Adegoke, the Deputy National President of the union, said this at the end of the regular meeting of the WAEC/Libraries and Others Trade Groups in Lagos.

    Adegoke said that libraries, which served as gatekeepers, storehouses of knowledge and a critical element in the educational sector had been neglected.

    He said that there was no way the country could achieve the education for all if the present level of funding of the national and state-owned libraries was not drastically improved upon.

    He described as a national embarrassment, the present rented apartment of the National Library of Nigeria in Abuja and other parts of the country.

    Read also: NASU’s overreach

    The deputy president, therefore, called on the Federal Government to expedite action on the completion of the abandoned National Library of Nigeria Headquarters building, as a matter of utmost priority.

    Adegoke also urged the federal and state governments to improve funding of their libraries so that the aims and objectives of establishing them could be attained.

    He urged the intervention of Tertiary Education Trust Fund ( TETFUND ) in the funding of libraries as it did for public institutions’ libraries.

    NASU and other varsities’ staff unions such as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU ) and National Association of Academic Technologists ( NAAT ) are currently on strike nationwide.

    The unions are demanding that the Federal Government should release N30 billion to them as a condition to calling off their industrial action.

    “Government should release more funds to take care of the arrears of the earned allowance of the three non-teaching staff of universities and commence the immediate implementation of the allowances to forestall further accumulation of the arrears,’’ Mr Alfred Jimoh.

    Jimoh is the National Vice President of SSANU and made the call at a news briefing on December 15 in Akure, Ondo State.

    NAN

  • Non- academic staff strike not ending soon – SSANU

    Non- academic staff strike not ending soon – SSANU

    The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) spokesman, A.O Salaam, in a chat with our correspondent, OKERINMODU FAITH OLUSEGUN, spoke on the ongoing nationwide strike by the union.

     

    TI: On the crisis rocking Nigerian education sector again sir, is there any likelihood of it been resolved soon?

    Salaam: I hate to sound negative because our honest desire is that the matter is resolved soon and we all resume to our various duty posts. As far as we are concerned, it is not in anybody’s interests that we stay away from work. However, if we are left with no choice, what do we do? The speedy resolution of this crisis is in the hands of government. They created it abi nitio and brought the university system to the sorry situation it finds itself. As such, the resolution of the crisis lies in the hands of those who created it. NAAT, NASU and SSANU are hapless victims. We have families to cater for, we also have children who are undergraduates and are desirous of graduating in record time. But the situation has left us with no choice. Conclusively, based on my personal observations of the issues, I don’t see the strike ending very soon. To end the strike, there must be a high level of commitment and sincerity on the part of government to resolve the issues. This is very much lacking. The bane of the crisis rocking the university system is insincerity and lack of commitment on the part of government. So if you ask me, I don’t see this strike ending very soon. Unfortunately!

     

    TI: Many persons are of the opinion that Earned Academic Allowance should be for the academic staff alone, what’s the true position of things?

     

    Salaam: On the issue of Earned Academic Allowances vis a vis Earned Allowances, it is unfortunate that the public is being confused on the issue. As far as we are concerned, the three non- teaching unions negotiated Earned Allowances with the Federal Government in 2009. As far as we are concerned, there is nothing called Earned Academic Allowances because that’s not what was negotiated. There may be a group that is demanding Earned Academic Allowances but if we are to look at it dispassionately and from an enlightened perspective, the term Earned Allowance is more generic and cuts across the academic and non- teaching sectors. Unfortunately, the inclusion of the word academic, was intended to cause confusion and to create tensions and I think that agenda has succeeded.

    Where we have found ourselves is indeed unfortunate. In 2009, the unions signed agreements with the federal government on issues of welfare, financial and non- financial, and issues of sustenance and governance of the university system. Unfortunately, successive governments have come and gone and the issues were left largely unaddressed. Where it seems that some of the issues were addressed, it was in contravention of the agreements. Eight years later, we are still clamoring for the implementation of agreements signed in 2009. Isn’t that unfortunate?

    On the issue of accrued arrears of Earned Allowances, agitations had been on and in 2013, a first tranche of N30 billion was paid. This first tranche went through the due accounting and auditing process before payment. Each university was allocated a fraction of the monthly personnel overheads to cater for the Earned Allowances. Because the money was to be earned, University Council Committees were set up, with evidential submissions from the Registrars and Bursars to justify the eligibility of each staff for the various categories of allowances. In line with standards, only the Bursaries and Registries, being custodians of information and records, can provide information on who gets what in the system. At the end of the 2013 payment, while it is natural for some people to assume that they were underpaid because it’s money issues, the general consensus was that it was fair and fool proof. In fact, in most universities, when it was discovered that most junior academic staff would not be getting any payment, many universities devised what was described as a doctrine of universal happiness, where the junior academics were paid Hazard Allowance, a component of the Earned Allowance for non- teaching staff. At the end of the day, there was peace.

     

    The payment made in 2017 however witnessed the most macabre display of corruption and incompetence. After our September strike and the MOU reached, it was agreed that the money was Earned Allowance and not Earned Academic Allowances and it would be allocated between the teaching and non- teaching staff. A modus operandi was defined for the payment which would have made everything easy. This was not followed. At the end of the day, a group surreptitiously, in connivance with some government officials, decided that the money was no longer Earned Allowance (a generic), but Earned Academic Allowances (a specific). The implication of this approach was that a whopping sum of N19 billion was allocated for the academic staff, while in a display of tokenism, a miserly sum of N4 billion was allocated to the non- teaching staff. This was done from the back door and without following due process. The Registrars and Bursars who are the only people authorized to determine who gets what were marginalized and bypassed while officials of the union started doing calculations of payments based on the claims of their members. The monies were then frontloaded from the ICT unit of the Federal Ministry of Education and the Accountant General’s office. These monies and the allocations were never audited before payment. All of a sudden and for the first time in the history of the Nigerian university system, payments were made on the lines of ASUU and non -teaching staff. The implications of what was done, is very dire and has far reaching consequences on the system. One is surprised that such travesty could be done under a government fighting corruption. I say it loud and clear, that on this issue, I see corruption written in capital and bold letters. As non -teaching unions, we have been clamoring that government should beam its search light on the educational sector and this is one of such instances. Looking at the allocations, you will discover a lot of arbitrariness in the payments made to the universities. My university, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, was paid N80 million for non- teaching staff, while University of Lagos was paid N23 million, just a little over one quarter of what FUNAAB was paid. Are we saying that the population of non- teaching staff in FUNAAB is almost times four of that of UNILAG? Bringing it into relief, Federal University of Technology, Akure, was paid N378 million. Are we saying that FUTA is 16 times in population of non- teaching staff than UNILAG? Bayero University Kano, was allocated N49 million. Are we saying that BUK is only one sixth of the population of University of Jos, which was allocated N336 million? The point being made is that while the monies are Earned Allowances and not a bonus or bonanza, there should be a corresponding correlation between the allocations per university and their staff populations. The inherent contradictions in the payments forced us to demand for explanations on how the allocations were made. A letter was written on November 14, demanding the criteria used for the allocations and I daresay that up till today, no explanations have been given. There are more questions begging for answers. Meanwhile, there were pressures by the group which the allocations seemingly favored that the monies should be paid. Based on this, we were left with no choice than to resume our suspended strike on the issue of Earned Allowances and others.

    Don’t forget that we have the issue of university staff schools where over 2,000 of our members have been removed from the payroll since 2014. In 2016, we went to court and the National Industrial Court ruled that they should be reintegrated into the payrolls as they are an integral part of the universities, whose employments were done by their various councils. Since December 5, 2016, over a year after, government officials have been prevaricating over the judgement. We are disappointed and shocked that there should be so much hide and seek in the implementation of a court judgement by a government supposedly run under the rule of law.

    These are among the issues that have led us to where we are. There is the issue of terminal point for technologists to get to CONTISS 14 and 15, shortfalls in salaries and others but let me stop here. Our strike is not only about Earned Allowances as assumed.

    TI: Recently, there was a meeting with the federal government on the strike; is there a likelihood of any meeting again soon?

    Salaam: Yes. We had a meeting with the federal government through its officials on Tuesday, December 19. I was privileged to be at the meeting. They acknowledged that there was a problem but they have not proffered solutions to the problem. We are not the ones to call a meeting. It’s their responsibility to invite us for meetings. When they do, we will attend. NAAT, NASU and SSANU, as responsible unions, will not shy away from any engagement or dialogue that will bring the conflict to an end. We will always make ourselves available but the onus lies with government. The earlier we are able to resolve the issues, the better for everybody.

    TI: Some schools are working despite the strike action, does it mean all members don’t agree on the issue on ground?

     

    Salaam: JAC is an alliance of NAAT, NASU and SSANU. The three unions are on strike. We have over 90 per cent compliance with the strike directives. That is not to rule out local situations that may have hampered the full compliance of the strike in a few universities. However, this issue affects our members and they agreed that the strike is the only option. I say it with confidence that we have over 90 per cent compliance.

     

    TI: What is the relationship with ASUU like, has this development caused any frosty relations between the two unions?

    Salaam: ASUU is a sister union in the university system and also under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress where we are all affiliates. However, our contemplation is that ASUU should not and is not our problem. Our problem is the government which has caused the divisions among us. Government deliberately plays one group against the other to be able to achieve their own ends. The onus lies on us the unions, to be wiser and see further than the ploys used to divide us. Karl Marx enjoined workers of the world to unite as we have nothing to lose but our gains. As far as I am concerned, the stratifications of academic staff and non- teaching in the system do not serve all of us well. A situation where a group considers itself superior to others is not healthy for the system because of its inherent implications. We are where we are in the system either by choice or circumstances but eventually we are all workers. Ordinarily, I assume that ASUU should be the chief promoter of egalitarianism among workers and we urge them to go back to those ideals. They have the intellectual wherewithal to promote egalitarianism in the labour movement and other unions should follow. I strongly feel that they should revisit their positions vis a vis their relationships with other unions. As for us, we have our respects for our sister union in the system. Together, we can fight our common and mutual enemies who have brought public educational institutions at all levels to their knees while promoting their private universities. Our enemies who have not given appropriate budgetary allocations to the educational sector in successive budgets. We know who our enemies are and as far as SSANU is concerned, it is not ASUU. ASUU are not our enemies. We are all victims of a bad and evil system.

    All over the world, the university is described as a system. The choice of that description is not misplaced but in the conviction that no single subset can work the system alone and different subsets need each other for the system to function efficiently and effectively. The system needs the non- teaching staff as much as it needs the academic staff. It is extremely wrong therefore to assume that only one group owns the system and must be given preference over the others. We are not talking equality here, but equity. Each group should be given its fair due in the system. Unfortunately, this is not the case. However, as far as we are concerned, all groups are important and play symbiotic roles that grow the system.

  • Unilag postpones candidates’ screening

    Unilag postpones candidates’ screening

    Strike by non-academic staff of universities  has compelled the University of Lagos ( Unilag ) to postpone screening of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME ) candidates which was billed to start on Monday.

    The screening, earlier scheduled to end on December 15, is for the 2017/2018 academic session.

    In a statement signed in Lagos by Mrs Taiwo Oloyede, a Senior Assistant Registrar of the institution, Unilag said that the screening was postponed indefinitely.

    It said that the strike disrupted academic and administrative activities in the university.

    JAC began the strike also on Monday.

    “The postponement is indefinite; a new date will be announced. “Candidates are enjoined to check the university’s website regularly for updates,” it said.

    Reports say the strike was embarked on by the three non-academic labour unions in the university.

    The unions are Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities ( SSANU ), Non Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists ( NAAT ).

    The three unions downed tools under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee ( JAC ).

    Read also: Buhari urges universities to justify governments’ investment

    Meanwhile, the National President of SSANU, Mr Samson Ugwoke, said the strike was comprehensive, total and indefinite.

    According to him, the strike resulted from Federal Government’s failure to take action on the September 20 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with the unions.

    “It is not just the issue of allowance that we are talking about but also the issue of implementation of a court judgment on our staff schools as well as the issue of acute shortfall in workers’ salaries.

    “Most of our people were laid off unjustifiably; they are yet to be reinstated in the university’s payroll.

    “We are tired of being tossed around or seen as not important in the running of the university. We are as important as any other union within the system and need to be given that recognition.

    “After several negotiations with the government, we expected that it sees the need to honour whatever agreement reached, but the reverse is the case,” he said,’’ Ugwoke, also the Chairman of the JAC, said.

    According to the union leader, activities in Nigerian public universities would be paralysed until JAC achieves its aim.

    A former Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU ), Prince Oriwaye Adefolalu, said JAC would not call of the strike until its demands would were met.

    “This morning, we had to shut the gate of the University of Lagos in compliance with a directive from our national executive committee.

    “We are indeed not happy with what is going in our universities. We should be seen as a very critical component in the administration of the universities.

    “While ASUU is in charge of research and academics, we are in charge of the administration, security, medical and general maintenance of infrastructure in the system.

    “We should be treated fairly as there is no way the university can work perfectly without us.’’

    NAN

  • SSANU, NASU, NAAT suspend strike in varsities

    SSANU, NASU, NAAT suspend strike in varsities

    Three non-teaching unions of universities under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee have suspended their two weeks strike.

    The unions – Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) – embarked on the strike to compel  the government to implement agreements reached with them.

    Read: Strike: FG, non-teaching staff of universities reach new agreement

    According to the unions, they will resume the strike, if the government fails to implement the agreements.

    The unions began an indefinite strike on September 11, following the government’s failure to meet their 12-point demands, which include non-payment of earned academic allowances, shortfall in salaries of members, poor funding of universities, non-registration of Nigerian Universities Pensions Management Company and others.

    Speaking at a news conference, Chairman of the Joint Action Committee and President of SSANU Comrade Samson Ugokwe directed members to go back to work with effect from Monday.

    Ugokwe said: “The strike by the university-based non-teaching unions was indeed avoidable and would have been averted if government had done the needful. Arising from the series of deliberations and engagements, we have once again gone to the drawing board.

    “We have consequently directed our members to resume work on Monday, September 25, 2017. In one month time, we shall be reviewing the level of compliance with the agreement and shall not hesitate to resume the strike action, if government reneges on the agreements reached or delays in any aspects.”

  • NAAT, NASU, SSANU suspend strike

    NAAT, NASU, SSANU suspend strike

    The Non-teaching staff of Nigerian Universities on Thursday suspended their two-week old strike called to protest the non -implementation of agreement reached with the Federal Government.

    The non-teaching staff under the auspices of Joint Action Committee (JAC) embarked on strike on September 11 over the non-implementation of its 12- point demand.

    The National Chairman of JAC, Mr. Samson Ugwoke, announced the suspension of the strike during a press conference held at the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

    The unions comprised 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 unions’ demands include the payment of earned allowances to members, a review of the governance system in government-owned universities and improved funding in line with UNESCO recommendations.

    The unions also demanded the provisions of infrastructure in universities and payment of salary arrears being owed members, implementation of the National Industrial Court judgment on university staff schools and the registration of NUPEMCO.

    Others are implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for Technologists as well as the improvement of teaching and learning facilities in the universities.

    Ugwoke said a template had been developed towards addressing the issues in contention.

    He said: “We hope that this will be a panacea to the continued conflicts between the university based non-teaching staff unions and the federal government.

    ”We have developed an actionable template with specific time frames to implement salient aspects of the agreement.

    “Based on the foregoing and following exhaustive and extensive consultations with our various union organs, we hereby announce the suspension of the strike embarked upon by the Joint Action Committee of NAAT, NASU and SSANU.”

    NAN

  • NASU, NAAT, SSANU strike cripples varsities

    NASU, NAAT, SSANU strike cripples varsities

    The strike declared by Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Senior Staff Academic of Universities (SSANU) yesterday effectively crippled many public universities across the country.

    The strike, coming after the one declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has further paralysed activities in the universities.

    The three non-teaching unions, under the auspices of Joint Action Committee (JAC), embarked on the industrial action over non-implementation of the 2009 agreement by the Federal Government.

    Their demands include the payment of earned allowances to members, a review of the governance system in universities, improved funding in line with UNESCO recommendations.

    Provisions of infrastructures in universities and payment of salary shortfall being owed members, implementation of the National Industrial Court judgment on university staff schools, registration of their pension body, NUPEMCO.

    Others are implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for technologists, improvement of teaching and learning facilities in the universities, stemming the tide of corruption in the university system.

    At the University of Lagos (UNILAG), NASU and SSANU leaders confirmed to The Nation that they had joined the strike.

    NASU Chairman Mr. Kehinde Ajibade said members of the union endorsed the strike during its congress yesterday and afterwards embarked on an enforcement exercise, which, he said, would continue today.

    Mr. Toyin Adebule, Deputy Registrar, Information, said members of NASU, SSANU and NAAT moved round offices to send those working out.

    As at the time of this report, NASU, SSANU and NAAT arms of Lagos State University (LASU) were engaged in a prolonged joint congress over the strike.

    Calls made to chairmen of SSANU and NASU Comrades Saheed Oseni and Agosu Albert were not answered.

    But hours after, Agosu called to apologise.

    On enquiry about the strike, Agosu said: “Yes. Here (LASU), we have fully complied (with the strike).”

    Also, NASU branch of University of Ibadan yesterday withdrew the services of its members in compliance with the strike.

    Members of NAAT and SSANU also joined the industrial action.

    Activities at different departments at the university came to near total collapse, except in a few units such as the hospital, security, electrical and power house, where the workers offered skeletal services till 4pm.

    At University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), NASU members acceded to their national executives’ directive.

    The UNN-NASU was already on a month long internal strike but joined the national body in the nationwide strike as soon as they received the directive.

    At the Enugu campus of the UNN, almost all the offices were empty. Only the security personnel were seen patrolling within the university.

    In Benue State, the Federal University of Agriculture (FUAM) and Benue State University (BSU) also joined their counterparts on the indefinite strike.

    In BSU, as earlier as 8am, the Joint Action Committee of SSANU, NASU and NAAT met and decided to join the strike.

    Offices were thereafter closed and workers ordered to leave the school premises.

    At  University of Agriculture, Makurdi, which is about 10 kilometres away from the city, it was, however, a different story.

    At the time The Nation visited the campus, a meeting of the unions’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) was still in progress.

    Already, the state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is observing a five-day warning strike over non-payment of salaries.

    Business activities in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, are grounded, following the strike action.

    Resident doctors and ASUU have also down tools.

    SSANU members at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria also heeded the call by its umbrella body to down tools indefinitely.

    The striking members mobilised to the university’s main gate at Samaru yesterday with chants of solidarity songs.

    Surprisingly too, it was gathered that the three unions in the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) will observe the national directives from today.

    Already, the monitoring team of the union had been inaugurated to enforce compliance.

    The spokesperson of Unilorin SSANU, Segundo Alabi, said: “The strike action is not against the university management but against the Federal Government.

    “Monitoring team for the strike has been inaugurated and they will be moving around to enforce the industrial action.”

    The Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB), Abeokuta, was deserted yesterday as members of the SSANU, ASU and NAAT joined the industrial action.