University workers under the aegies of Senior staff association of Nigerian universities,SSANU and Non-academic staff union of Universities, NASU have started mobilization for strike following government's failure to release Thirty Billion Naira as acrued earned Allowances
In an eight point communique signed by SSANU president, Samson Ugwoke and SSANU public Relations officer Abdussobur Salaam at the end of its national executive council meeting, the university workers say government has continued to stretch their patience by remaining adamant to their demand, despite the one week warning strike in August, 2019, over the same issue
The workers arguement is that government released 25 billion naira to all staff in the universities as earned allowances, but gave 80 percent of the money to Academic staff union of universities, ASUU and 20 percent to three non-teaching staff, which is grossly inadequate.
While commending the Organised labour for the successful conclusion of talks over minimum wage adjustment for federal employees, The university workers are however expressing displeasure over the foot-dragging by state governments
Meanwhile, the universities non-teaching staff have thrown their weight behind the implementation of the Intergrated payroll and personnel information system, IPPIS and support the current closure of land borders, but strongly criticise authorities over the bad state of roads, increasing spate of insecurity and poor allocation to education in 2020 budget proposal.
Full communique is below
A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 37TH REGULAR NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING OF THE SENIOR STAFF ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES (SSANU) HELD AT ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY, AKUNGBA AKOKO ON 30TH AND 31ST OCTOBER 2019.
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, (SSANU), at its 37th Regular Quarterly Meeting held on Wednesday 30th and Thursday, 31st October 2019, at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, deliberated extensively on critical issues affecting the Union, the Educational Sector, University sub-sector, and the Nation as a whole.
NEC at the end of the meeting came out with far-reaching resolutions which are products of its deliberations as follows:-
1. ENROLMENT OF SSANU MEMBERS INTO THE INTEGRATED PAYROLL AND PERSONNEL INFORMATION SYSTEM (IPPIS)
NEC in Session reaffirmed the commitment of SSANU towards enrolling its members into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) subject to the accommodation of all peculiarities in the university system as agreed in the various meetings held between the government represented by officers in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the university based unions. NEC noted that the resolve of SSANU to join the IPPIS platform was in support of Government in its bid to entrench transparency and accountability in the university system and to curb the spate of personnel corruption which is one of the reasons accountable for the declining standard and rot in the Nigerian University system. NEC urged the Federal Government to remain firm and resolute in its bid to stop corruption in all facets of our national life and resolved to give support to the government in all efforts to ensure that sanity is restored to the Nigerian university system.
2. DELAY IN THE PAYMENT OF EARNED ALLOWANCES AS PROMISED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
NEC in Session recalled that the Joint Action Committee of NASU and SSANU had embarked on a five day warning strike between Monday 19th and Friday 23rd August 2019 to press home its demand for the payment of N30 Billion (Thirty Billion Naira) being part payment of arrears of Earned Allowances being owed members of NASU and SSANU. NEC recalled that the Federal Government vide a memo dated 18th June 2018 and signed by the Director Tertiary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, had conveyed the release of the sum of N25 Billion for the payment of Earned Allowances for staff of Federal Universities. NEC further recalled that the memo had conveyed a directive allocating the monies at the ratio of 80/20 in favour of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to the detriment of the Non- Teaching Staff Unions. NEC noted that a negative precedence had been set by that memo as it was the first time that monies meant for payment of allowances of university staff was being allocated along union lines. NEC also noted that the due process and established protocols for disbursements of allowances were breached in order to allow for this anomalous payment. The pattern adopted for the payment was a gross violation of the University Autonomy Laws because the Governing Councils who by law are vested with the power of identifying and allocating allowances to staff in their various universities were bypassed while the Registrars and Bursars, being custodians of all University records in terms of allowances and remunerations were not involved in the processes leading to the allocations of these monies. NEC in session therefore demanded that the Audit Reports of all disbursements of Earned Allowances be made public in order to guide Government in subsequent disbursements. NEC in Session further reiterated its resolve to demand for a minimum sum of N30 Billion (Thirty Billion Naira) for the payment of Earned Allowances to the JAC of NASU and SSANU to correct the present imbalance while arrangements should be made to pay the total balance as the sum demanded represents only a fraction of the actual Earned Allowances owed the JAC of NASU and SSANU from 2009 till date. NEC in Session directed the National Administrative Committee to liaise with its JAC counterpart, ie NASU, to give ultimatum to the Federal Government to commence an indefinite strike for the failure of government on the release of the Earned Allowances as promised. NEC directed its members to continue mobilization for an industrial action which may become inevitable if Government is not forthcoming in the fullness of time.
3. RESUMPTION OF RENEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE SENIOR STAFF ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
NEC in Session received report from the SSANU Team on the SSANU/FGN 2009 Renegotiation Committee. NEC noted that following the five day warning strike under the auspices of the JAC of NASU and SSANU, the renegotiation of the FGN/SSANU 2009 Agreement had resumed with a meeting held on Monday, 16th September 2019 with the Dr. Wale Babalakin led Government Team. NEC in Session noted that there had been no further meeting and the six weeks window for the conclusion of the renegotiation was almost coming to an end with no tangible progress made. NEC therefore resolved that the Federal Government team should be reminded of the timeline for the conclusion of the renegotiation exercise as mutually agreed between officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and the union.
4. NEW NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE
NEC in session commended the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union (TUC) and the Trade Union side of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council for their efforts in ensuring a new National Minimum Wage regime in the country. NEC noted that the new National Minimum Wage should take effect from April 2019, when the new wage regime was signed into law. NEC in session while calling on the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission to expeditiously make public the new salary tables based on the consequential adjustments, warned the Federal Government not to introduce economic policies such as increases in taxes, tariffs and prices of petroleum products that would be counterproductive and vitiate the gains of the new minimum wage regime as this would be resisted stoutly by labour. NEC in session further urged State Governments to immediately domesticate the new minimum wage in the various states in order to ensure that employees at the states and local governments enjoy the new minimum wage without delay.
5. 2020 BUDGET AND THE ALLOCATION TO EDUCATION
NEC in Session reviewed the highlights of the 2020 Appropriation Bill as presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari. NEC in Session noted that out of the planned budgetary expenditure of N10.3 Trillion, a paltry sum of N48 Billion was allocated for capital expenditure on education. NEC noted that this sum, which is lower than what was earmarked for education in 2017 and 2018, tells the sad story of continued neglect of education by successive governments which shows that the nations’ policy makers have a poor understanding of the centrality of education to national development and indeed all facets of national life. NEC in Session noted that the poor investment in education over the years, accounts for the low level of development in the nation and called on the National Assembly to scrutinize the 2020 budget with a view to increasing the allocation to education.
6. CLOSURE OF NIGERIAN BORDERS
NEC in session commended the Federal Government for the courage in taking a stand against the sabotage of the national economy by closing the nations’ land borders. NEC noted that this move though temporary, would have a positive effect on the nations’ treasury and economy, which had been hamstrung by the nefarious activities of smugglers and criminals. NEC further noted that with the border closure, there had been a boost in industry and local agricultural production which would create more employment opportunities. NEC also noted that the border closure had curtailed the smuggling of arms which are usually transported into the country through the land borders. NEC therefore urged the Federal Government to not to stop at just closing the borders but ensure a long term goal by creating an enabling environment for local industry to thrive through the provision of loans and microcredit facilities, while also empowering the Nigerian Custom Service and Nigerian Immigration Service to be able to checkmate the activities of smugglers when the borders are finally reopened. NEC also advised the Federal Government to ensure that before the borders are reopened, the governments of adjoining countries are engaged and agreements are reached which would ensure that the borders of those countries are not used to traffic illegal goods into Nigeria.
7. NATIONAL INSECURITY
NEC in Session expressed great worry over the increasing spate of banditry, killings and kidnapping experienced by ordinary Nigerians especially on our roads. NEC noted that the negative security situation is increasingly being witnessed and is not limited to a specific or particular part of the country. NEC further noted that the primary responsibility of Government as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, is the protection of lives and property and to this end, the Nigerian Government must of necessity, review the national security architecture with a view to finding a lasting solution to this threat of banditry that appears to have taken over the nation. NEC however noted that at the root of the present challenge of banditry, lies poverty and destitution which has gradually become the lot of the average Nigerian youth who see no future or life prospects and see these acts of violence as a way out of their hopelessness. NEC therefore recommended the setting up of a national security summit to be convened by the Federal Government to look at the remote and immediate causes of the present security challenge and come up with lasting solutions in the interest of the Nigerian people.
8. STATE OF NIGERIAN ROADS
NEC in Session noted with great disappointment that the state of Nigerian roads are getting worse and more dangerous to traverse by the day. Coming from various parts of the country, members narrated the hazardous experiences they had on roads which have become death traps filled with pot-holes, gullies and craters. Many members were forced to spend hours in traffic build ups occasioned by fallen tankers and other articulated vehicles. NEC observed that it is indeed shameful that a country which has realized billions of Dollars in crude oil revenue for years, cannot maintain its roads, no thanks to endemic corruption which has eaten into the fabric of the nation. NEC therefore appeals to the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on Nigerian roads to save Nigerians from avoidable loss of lives through road accidents and other mishaps.
