The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU, have declared a 7-day warning strike to demand the payment of four months of withheld salaries of their members, following the 2022 nationwide strike.
The decision was part of the resolution of the joint action committee of the two unions, after a meeting which held in Akure at the weekend.
Details shortly…
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has appealed to the Federal Government to urgently pay four months withheld salaries of its members.
Mr Adedeji Suarau, SSANU Chairman, Federal University Lokoja, made the appeal on Thursday in Lokoja, disclosing that the Federal Government had yet to pay May, June, July and August 2022 salaries of its members.
Suarau noted that the government recently paid university lecturers’ withheld salaries. He said that it would be just for the government to also pay SSANU members.
Federal Government withheld four months salaries of SSANU members for engaging in strike in 2022. All efforts to get the salaries paid failed during the administration of then President Muhammed Buhari.
“We were hopeful when President Tinubu pleaded with governors to ensure that all arrears of salaries would be paid to cushion the effects of economic hardship during his last meeting with them,” he said.
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has commended the Federal Government for the exemption of all tertiary institutions from the the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, National President of SSANU, said this in a communique issued on Monday in Abuja.
The communique was issued at the end of the 46th National Executive Council (NEC) of the association held in Federal University of Technology, Mina, Niger state.
According to Ibrahim, NEC in session commended the Federal Government on the removal of universities and other tertiary institutions from IPPIS.
“NEC, however, encourages government to critically consult Management of Universities and labour unions on workable, reliable, seamless and acceptable approach.
“This is in transiting to the new regime in order to capture the peculiarities of university workers.
“This is with a view to forestalling the complicated problems that plagued the use of IPPIS.
“NEC, therefore, urges the government to consider improving the old system with some latest features in the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System, (U3PS) payment solution,” he said.
He also said NEC acknowledged the approval by the government to pay the four months salaries of its members withheld as a result of the last industrial action embarked upon by the union.
He, therefore, urged the government to pay the money without further delay as it was already losing confidence of its members in government.
The SSANU president, however, demanded for the implementation of the 25 and 35 per cent wage increase for university workers which had been captured in the budget before the end of 2023.
Ibrahim added that NEC urges the federal government to commence payment of the outstanding arrears of October and November 2023 salaries forthwith.
“NEC in session also observed that some of its members are yet to be paid arrears of the National Minimum Wage, which was approved in 2018 despite the efforts of the Union.
“NEC calls on the government to, as a matter of urgency, release funds for payment for those omitted universities,” he said.
He said the omitted universities include Federal University ,Otuoke, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Federal University, Dutsima.
Others were the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe, Federal University Kashere, and the University of Maiduguri, among others.
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), has called for the immediate implementation of 25 and 35 per cent salary increments for workers in tertiary institutions.
Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, National President, SSANU, said this in a communique issued on Monday in Abuja.
The communique was issued at the end of the 45th regular National Executive Council meeting(NEC) meeting of the association held in the University of Maiduguri, Borno.
He said NEC in session deliberated on issues of national importance as they concern members of the association.
He noted that NEC recalled the renegotiation of salaries for its members with the committee led by the late Prof. Nimi Briggs that was at the final stage.
According to Ibrahim, SSANU had demanded for 700 per cent wage increase but the committee offered a 23.5 per and 35 per cent review for members.
“The recent announcement for approval of an increment of 25 per cent and 35 per cent 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,”he said.
He added that NEC is also aware that a provisional sum of N100 billion had been budgeted for salary review of workers in tertiary institutions which is yet to be implemented.
The SSANU president also said that NEC expressed worries over withheld four months salary arrears of its members during the last nationwide strike.
He said that NEC described the action of the withheld salaries 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 government’s failure to honour her path of the agreement.
“SSANU therefore earnestly requests government to pay the withheld salaries without any further delay.
“This is considering the harsh economic realities currently faced by citizens in the country as government is aware, the value for the money has already been eroded by hyperinflation,”he added.
Ibrahim said NEC noted that the issue of Renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/SSANU Agreement was not only long overdue but that the exercise should be concluded.
“NEC in session agreed that now that ministers have been appointed, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman 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, ”he said.
He said NEC also demanded that government should immediately reconstitute the renegotiation committee
with experienced university administrators and ensure they complete the assignment within a reasonable time.
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has urged the Federal Government to consider merging the payment platforms developed by the different unions in the University System to address peculiarities.
Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU National President, made the call in a communique issued on Monday in Abuja at the end the union’s 44th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Michael Okpara University, Abia.
Ibrahim said NEC in session noted that the merger had become necessary due to the recent fraud in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
It would also be recalled that the university workers had blamed inconsistencies and the failure of the IPPIS to capture the peculiarities of the university system for their rejection.
To address the peculiarities, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had developed the University Transparency Accountability System(UTAS)for the payment of salaries and allowances of University lecturers.
Also, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities(NASU) had developed the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (U3PS) to address its own issues.
According to him. IPPIS is being used for personal enrichment of staff of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to the detriment of our members and the Federal Government.
“It is on record that the payment platform is fraught with the same corruption that Federal Government claims it wants to fight with it.
“NEC in session is demanding that Federal Government should consider merging the payment platforms developed by ASUU (UTAS) and that of JAC of SSANU and NASU (U3PS), since it is on record that the platforms are capable of addressing the peculiarities of the University system,” he said.
He also said NEC had renewed its call on the Federal government to urgently pay the four months withheld salaries owed to its members, in the interest of industrial harmony in the country’s tertiary education sector.
Ibrahim added that, let it be known to government that our members are yet to recover from the effect of the hardship caused by the withholding of their four months salaries, and may not recover from it unless government does something about it.
“NEC in session views government posture and position on the matter as unfair and unfortunate. We are well aware that salaries for those months were prepared.
“NEC therefore call on government to urgently pay the arrears of our members’ withheld salaries without further delay, ” he said.
He further said NEC acknowledged the demise of the Chairman of the Government Team, Prof Nimi Briggs and therefore called on government to reconstitute a new Committee for the renegotiation of the SSANU/FGN 2009 Agreement as the issue was long overdue.
He added that, SSANU has earnestly offered itself for the renegotiation process to commence and awaits the invitation of the Federal Government on the issue.
SSANU president said NEC had called on government to urgently commence payment of arreas of minimum wage implementation since 2018 to some of its members.
Ibrahim said the members include the Federal University Otuoke, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Federal University, Dutsima, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe, Federal University Kashere, University of Maiduguri.
He said others are Modibo Adamawa University, Yola, University of Benin, Benin, College of Medicine, of the University of Lagos, Idi-Araba and University of Calabar.
He also said government had promised to release the sum of N50 billion for payment of outstanding Earned Allowances to Universities and Inter-University Centres.
He also said the agreement was yet to be fulfilled. NEC in session urged government to release funds for payment of the allowances without further delay as it was provided for in the 2023 budget.
“ NEC in session vehemently condemns the recent arbitrary and blanket dissolution of Governing Councils of Federal Universities by the Federal Government.
” This action is illegal, inimical to the growth and proper functioning and management of Universities in Nigeria, as the appointment of the Governing Councils are tenured in line with the extant laws as gazetted.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Law also provides that Governing Councils can only be dissolved on proven cases of corruption and incompetence,”he said.
He said NEC also demanded that the Councils of universities should be allowed to perform their functions devoid of interference by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation or its agents for that matter.
He added that SSANU is not averse to the introduction of the Student Loan to deserving students who are desirous of higher education and that NEC frowns at the conditions and modalities of accessing the Loan.
“NEC therefore requests government yo review the conditions for the acquisition of the Loan to enable interested students to access and repay same,”he said.
Three unions at the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki began an indefinite strike on Thursday, paralysing activities at the institution.
They are the university’s chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and other Associated Institutions (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists.
The striking workers locked all entrances into the school over unpaid wages.
Chairman of SSANU, Mr Elias Odigbo, said the indefinite strike was to protest against non-payment three months salaries.
He said the last time the varsity paid salaries was in February.
“We also want the government to actualise our promotion since 2016. Since 2016 no promotion has been made, especially for non-academic staff.
“Another reason is that during the COVID-19 lockdown, there were 20 per cent deductions from our salaries with promises to refund the deductions.
“Management refunded only five months deductions up till now.
“We have 10 months deductions left and we have been begging for the refund to no avail.
“We also need conversion of staff for those who have acquired additional qualifications.
“We are not fighting government or the school management. All we are asking for is our right. The workers need their wages to work diligently,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Mr Nwovu Origbo, NASU chairman begged the state government to pay outstanding three months salaries and refund the 20 per cent of COVID-19 deductions.
Origbo noted that the strike would continue until the workers’ demands were met.
“We are not going to call off the strike until all our demands are met. We are not beggars but workers,’’ he said.
Responding to the strike, Commissioner for Education, Mr Sunday Nwangele disclosed he would address a news conference on the issue on Friday.
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has urged the Federal government to embrace industrial harmony by implementing agreements reached with unions as workers celebrate May Day.
Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, the National President of the association, said this in a message to commemorate the 2023 Workers’ Day celebration on Monday in Abuja.
Ibrahim said that it was imperative for the federal government to embrace industrial harmony and desist from actions inimical to industrial peace.
According to him, International Workers’ Day is always the high point of the recognition of the role of the workers in building and sustaining the social and economic systems of the world.
“Despite a hostile environment in which we operate, we remain undeterred in our quest to contribute to the building of a great country.
“Our members have continued to report for duty in the most security challenging parts of Nigeria.
“It’s a pity that the federal government has remained adamant in the payment of withheld four months salaries during the nationwide strike in 2022,’’ he said.
He also noted that SSANU had complied with all industrial legal protocol before embarking on strike when government reneged on its part of the bargain.
The SSANU president said that the association had made all efforts for the government to see reason why they should be paid their rightful due, all to no avail.
“We are once again calling on the government to urgently pay the withheld salaries without further delay. The insensitivity of government to the plight of workers is provocative and unbearable.
“Since we suspended the strike last year, the issue of re-negotiation of the 2009 Agreement has not yielded any result.
“It appears the federal government does not like the industrial harmony in the universities,‘’ he said.
Ibrahim also called on the federal government to without any delay ensure that the renegotiation was urgently concluded and implemented.
Besides, he said that on the 40 per cent pay rise that it was unfathomable that while some workers had started receiving their payment, its members were yet to receive theirs.
“We call on government to ensure that our members receive their own payment as soon as possible, if not we can no longer guarantee industrial harmony in the universities.
“We should also place it on record that the N50 billion Earned Allowances which the government promised last year is yet to be paid,’’ he said.
He therefore called on the government to release it as quickly as possible as further delay would not be helpful to the system.
He added that the morale of university workers is dampened by the inability of government to create a conducive environment in the university system.
According to him, members of the union work under harsh condition, ‘yet they put in their best to ensure that our students don’t suffer. Government appears to be paying lip service to funding education’.
“It is very clear that government pays more attention to frivolous things and has neglected the workers that generate the wealth of the nation and mould the future of the young generation.
“We call on government to resolve all issues with university workers and also tackle the challenges facing the country.
“SSANU leadership under my watch is committed and determined to address your problems by ensuring that you get your rightful due from your employers.
“We will not relent in doing that. I once again congratulate you all as we celebrate this year’s May Day,’’ he said.
Reports emerging from the congresses of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) indicate that the union might be making plans to embark on an indefinite strike, barring last-minute intervention.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the latest meeting between ASUU and representatives of the federal government to address the demands of the union ended in a deadlock.
The union explained that the deadlock came into being because of a certain award of Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) said to have been prepared by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to it.
Following the meeting with the FG, branches of ASUU held congress to determine their position on the latest interaction with the government. It was gathered that over 123 branches of the union have concluded their congresses with others expected to round off today.
An ASUU leader, who declined to be named, told The Nation that a proposal for the indefinite strike would be ratified and adopted at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU scheduled for Sunday.
“None of the branches, including the University of Abuja, voted for anything other than an indefinite strike. All the branches of ASUU are expected to finish their congresses tomorrow (today) and pass their report to NEC. NEC will have to meet and review the decisions of all of the branches and decide on what to do,” the ASUU leader disclosed.
TNG reports that ASUU embarked on the ongoing strike on February 14th 2022. The union have on several occasions extended the industrial strike action, hinging the extension on the failure of the government to accede to their demands. While other tertiary institutions’ based unions have called off their strike, ASUU remains adamant.
Meanwhile, some concerned parents have asked both the FG and ASUU to settle the issues through mutual agreements to end the ongoing strike by the union. Also, an NGO, Noble Youths Mass Support Association (NYMSA) called on both parties to reach a workable and speedy resolution to enable students resume school.
Dr Swanta Banta, a parent and a public servant said that both ASUU and the Federal Government had some adjustments to make. According to her, it will not be a bad idea for the students to come together and sue the warring parties for treating them with contempt and disregard.
Banta, however, opined that when both parties meet in court, they should be able to resolve their issues with a mutual concession and some sort of reasoning that might consider the students’ predicament.
Banta said that it was unfortunate that the Federal Government seemed not to prioritise the education sector nor have ideas on how to raise money where ASUU was concerned. She said that the union was not left without blame and must make amends in its system of operations.
“It’s true that Nigeria is broke, but it’s also true that we have been borrowing money to meet up with certain obligations, some of which I consider frivolous and yet never for ASUU.
“Meanwhile, I also don’t totally sympathise with ASUU because our lecturers are partly responsible for the collapse of the standard of education. I really don’t see why they prefer to be on UTAS and not IPPIS.
“Enough of visiting many universities on part time teaching and receiving allowances, while the students are subjected to last minute crash programmes for the courses assigned these lecturers.
“Both ASUU and the Federal Government have some adjustments to make and must do so speedily and let our children resume school.”
Mr Akin Odunlade, another parent and a lawyer said that both parties had continued to benefit from the system and might have fallen apart somewhere “and unfortunately they are battling at the detriment of the students.’’
“They must patch the loopholes; where there are some sorts of irregularities, both parties must make a compromise at this stage and stop infringing on the rights of the students in the process.
“It has gotten out of hand and none of them is right or wrong at this stage but they would have to agree on something tangible to end the distress, which they have already caused both parents and their children.
“Not everyone can afford the luxury of a private institution, not with the present economic hardship please”.
Similarly, Mrs Sophie Moses, another parent urged the Federal Government to pay at least half of what it owed the union, saying “it is their right to work and be paid’’.
Moses said that if politicians were able to raise N100 million each for presidential candidacy in the upcoming general elections, it would not hurt to put such dedication and effort into the education sector.
“Unfortunately, some people are sitting on monies and have vowed to frustrate the efforts of these lecturers who are responsible for teaching our children.
“This back and forth is wasting the future of our children and it is not fair. It is the entitlement of these lecturers and I think they should just pay them for their hard work instead of letting the monies to be stolen by some greedy ones.”
Also reacting, Noble Youths Mass Support Association (NYMSA), an NGO, called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government to reach a workable and speedy resolution to enable students resume school.
Mr Godwin Onmonya, the National Coordinator of the group told NAN that the strike was having negative impact on students and appealed for speedy resolution.
Omonya, however, called on the government to convene education confab to proffer adequate solution and help resolve the lingering universities workers strike.
“Our youths in public universities are losing their most active and creative years, while their parents are undergoing a painful agony of witnessing their children and resources waste away.
“We make this call in the overriding interest of our nation, but more particularly for the huge number of students, parents, academic and non-teaching staff in public universities across the country.
“Sadly, the children of most top government officials attend private universities or study abroad; they do not feel the distress and torment of the ordinary parents.
“We also want to call for a law mandating state actors and their nuclear families to attend only Nigerian institutions while in office.
“In addition, the government is also wasting our national resources because by the end of the strike, all academic staff and non-teaching staff would still receive their salaries,” he said.
However, Mr Silas Lagi, a parent in Gwagwalada Area Council, whose child is studying veterinary medicine at the University of Abuja, said that the strike had made his son shift focus to other things that he did not budget for.
“After each episode of strike, the children are no more focused and they end up not graduating within the stipulated years.
“My only pain is that the people in government are not feeling it because their own children are not in public schools but abroad or in private schools,” he said.
Meanwhile, ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Abuja, Dr Salawu Lawal, had earlier said there would be no resumption in public universities until “renegotiated 2009 agreement is signed, implemented and the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) deployed.’’
The union had embarked on a nationwide warning strike from Feb. 14 to press home its demands, stressing that the action would continue until their demands were met.
The lecturers are demanding funding of the Revitalisation of Public Universities, Earned Academic Allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) and promotion arrears.
Others are the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FG Agreement and the inconsistency in Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System.
Meanwhile, some students affected by the strike, in separate interviews in Abuja, have appealed to the FG and ASUU to resolve their differences, as they suggest Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to fund the university system.
The students, who recounted losses caused by the six months strike by ASSU, continued to express serious concern about the situation, saying the long stay at home had inflicted permanent injury on them and damage to the education system.
Ms Philemon Kojo, a clinical student in the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), said that ASUU strike had become regular occurrence for many years for public university with prolonged academic years as the obvious effect.
Kojo suggested that for the issue to be resolved, ASUU and the education ministry should engage global monetary agencies to access funding or better still, the education sector should be privatised for proper management.
“The education sector should research into solutions that can lead us from a customer economy to productive economy, for example, vaccine and drug production, electronics and even energy generation.”
According to her, universities should begin to seek for grants from both privates sector, and international grants to assist in funding these universities.
“The ASUU strike has been tormenting me mentally and emotionally, especially as I see my counterparts in private institutions graduating and progressing with their lives.
“As a clinical year student, all my past efforts in clinical postings are thrown away because I have to repeat them on resumption.
“Imagine four months posting done prior to a six-month strike after which I have to repeat that same posting. It’s mentally depressing.
“Do I have to speak on the financial implications such as hostel rents wasted, traveling, foodstuffs thrown away and last but not the least, the time that can never be gotten back, especially in Nigeria where there are age limits to getting jobs.
“This is my 7th year in the university, for a six- year course but I’m just starting 500 level,” she said. ”
Another student of UNIABUJA, Mr Nwachukwu Cletus said there was need for good leadership “when the head is good every other part of the body will be alright, government should appoint leaders who will prioritise education and are well knowledgeable on how educational system should be managed.
Cletus also suggested that there should be optimal maximisation of production for universities as they must begin to look inward to maximise every factor of production at their disposal to contribute to their purse.
“Many universities have abundance and unutilised land which could be used for agricultural purposes, schools can go into food production like bread, snacks and sachet water which will contribute to their economy.
“Every nation doing well today invested heavily in their educational sector and any nation with good future is seen in how much they prioritise their educational system,’’ Cletus.
Mr Joseph Baker, a 300 level Biology Education student of UNIABUJA said the effect of the strike was overwhelming as it had delayed his anticipated plans.
Baker also suggested that government should consider PPP arrangement to fund education.
According to him, government alone cannot fund education; it has to seek the support of other bodies and international funding.
He, therefore, said that ASUU and the Federal Government should come to a sincere understanding and compromise for the sake of the future of the students and the country in general.
Baker, while calling on ASUU to reconsider its position, appealed to the Federal Government to pay ASUU an encouraging salary to maximise the impact of the education system for a better Nigeria.
On the strike, he said: “it has been delaying our educational lives, thereby, prolonging the accurate duration we are supposed to spend in our education.
“Most of our mates in private universities have gone farther than us who attend Federal universities just because of the ongoing strike.
“Also because of the prolonged sitting at home with our parents, sincerely most of us have been having one issue or the other with them.
“Some of us pick offense when being corrected by our parents due to frustration,” Baker said.
A 400 Level Linguistic student of Benue State University, Miss Eneh Edoh said that the strike had done more harm than good to students.
According to her, the strike has prolonged my stay in school. I should be a graduate by now thinking of serving and getting a job for myself.
“As a result of this strike, I am at home, an adage says, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Many young people have ventured into illicit acts, stealing, internet fraud and all sorts because of the idleness the strike has caused.’’
“Our house rents have expired and some will soon expire. The more we stay at home the more our brains are redundant.
“Some of us have planned our lives but the strike is taking us back. Something has to be done, the plans we have for our lives are at stake,” she said.
Another 400 Level student, Ms Ann Oriba, while speaking on the impact of the strike on education and students, said it had affected them both ways negativity.
“Our educational calendar has been extended beyond its curriculum. Also, with a break in learning, it has made studying much harder for me.’’
Meanwhile, National Association of Nigerian students (NANS), has reacted on the comment by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu that ASUU should be held liable for students wasted time
The National President of NANS, Mr Sunday Asefon argued that ASUU was neither the proprietor of tertiary institutions nor the beneficiary of the exorbitant fees we pay across tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
“Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu, where he suggested that Nigerian students affected by ASUU strike must sue ASUU for liabilities suffered as a result of the strike.
“Perhaps the only thing Malam Adamu Adamu has gotten right in this saga, is the fact that Nigerian students need to be compensated for their wasted time, opportunities and resources.
“However, the minister is clever by half by suggesting ASUU should be held liable for the liabilities.
“ASUU is neither the proprietor of our tertiary institutions nor the beneficiary of the exorbitant fees; we pay across our tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
“It is an abuse of our intellects to suggest that students should sue employee for protesting bad working conditions and not the employer who is the proprietor of our schools and the beneficiary of the exorbitant school fees we pay,” he said.
The national president however called on ASUU to be considerate and put the interest of students as their priority, saying that ASUU was holding the nation to ransom was unpatriotic and self-serving.
In the same vein, Secretary, Workers and Youths Solidarity Network (WYSN), Damilola Owot said the strike action had caused disruptions not only in the educational sector but also in the general economic system.
“Imagine traders, bus drivers, bike men, barbers, hairdressers and computer venture operators who rely heavily on tertiary institutions for sales and patronage have been left in very pitiable and vulnerable state.
“What about the landlords of the students whose rents have expired? Some of these landlords depend on the rents for their survival too.
“Would they force-open the doors, pack students load outside and rent the rooms out to other persons? What is the fate of the students who have lost six months of their lives to the crisis in the education sector?
“While some students have braced up and turned into impromptu online vendors, some are struggling to learn as apprentices under very harsh conditions,” he said.
Mrs Vivian Bello, Convener of Save the Children campaign said that the strike had made students to pressed hard for survival in the face of educational uncertainties.
“Some have taken to anti-social engagements that could forever mar their lives and destines.
“As we know with young people, once their minds derail, it takes far-reaching struggle to return same back to the path of rectitude. The protracted strike and government authorities’ seeming nonchalance has simply lent weight to this tendency.
However, the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) who differs with some stakeholders on the ASUU strike called on the Federal Government to liberalise university unions by recognising and registering other unions.
The National Coordinator of CONUA, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, said that liberalisation of academic unions would end incessant strikes in universities.
He said the liberalisation would also engender cross-fertilisation of ideas, nurture healthy competition and protect the interests of all stakeholders.
He said CONUA was poised to ensure cross-fertilisation of ideas that took place before a strike could be embarked upon.
“What we have noted over the years is that ideas are usually muffled,’’ he said.
Sunmonu stressed that there was nothing wrong in having two to four unions in universities as the 1999 Constitution assures of freedom of association.
Also, CONUA’s National Publicity Coordinator, Dr Ernest Nwoke said the monopoly enjoyed by ASUU had been responsible for incessant strikes in universities.
He stressed that the liberalisation of academic staff unions in the universities was the only solution so that lecturers would be free to belong to unions of their choices.
“For more than 40 years ASUU has enjoyed a monopoly in Nigerian universities.
“There is no ripe time than now for the liberalisation of academic unions to put an end to strikes in the universities,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, some university workers under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU) have suspended their almost five-month old strike for two months.
The industrial action, which was called off on Saturday after a brief meeting between the leadership of both unions and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu in Abuja, is expected to take effect from on Aug. 24.
In spite of calling off the strikes by these labour unions, activities in the public universities are expected to still be paralysed as ASUU insists on going ahead with the strike.
According to a monitored Channels Television report, the Adamu said that the Federal Government had committed N50 billion to pay earned allowances for members of SSANU, NASU, and ASUU.
Dr Muhammad Sajo, a University lecturer, has accused “anti-ASUU people” for casting aspersion on the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), “out of ignorance of the university system”.
Sajo, a lecturer with the Department of English and Literary Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), spoke in Sokoto on Sunday.
Sajo said: ”The anti-ASUU people’s sheer ignorance of the ASUU struggle itself, or based on their envy of the ample opportunities the global university system accords academics which others out of the system don’t have.
“However, time will tell when ASUU retires to the pursuit of mainly its members’ welfare packages. Hence, leaving the public with the government to protest the imminent exorbitant tuition fees likely to be imposed on the system,” he said
The don added that a section of ASUU members differed within the union in the area of emphasising on the pursuit of members’ welfare, rather than facing the fight ”which isn’t theirs.”
“Nigeria’s degree programme is the cheapest globally and save for corruption which impedes the nation’s growth.
“The country can afford to give free university education or sustain its subsidy to especially, children of the masses which is the main reason for the ASUU’s struggles.
“People should note that the current ASUU strike is the mother of all strikes which we support because, it is the one which specifically encapsulates members’ welfare package.
“This is from the little stipends being on the payroll for over a decade,” he added.
On the ‘no work, no pay’ slogan by the government, Sajo said ”many people speak ignorantly by supporting the position on the matter.
“This is not knowing that academics don’t eat free salary, no matter how long they stay off the class due to the strike.
“If ASUU agrees on the position, about 5 sets of students from undergraduate to postgraduate levels won’t graduate.
“For those who aren’t aware, an academic in the system is employed to render three services: teaching, research and community service.
”During ASUU strike, only one of the three is rested, i.e. the teaching component,” he said.
The lecturer further said he was of the view that not only the latest issue of the ‘no work no pay’ slogan, the entire issues can be resolved within a day, ” if there is political will by the government.
“It is a fact that since time immemorial, before any ASUU strike is suspended, the union often exhibits the gesture of shifting grounds in the interest of the public.
“However, while doing so, at the moment, ASUU’s members shouldn’t be allowed to suffer casualties from actions of certain sections of the people who are wielding the sticks of power,” he added.
By Mohammad Umar Salihu and Akinloye James
The decision of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU to call off their strike and return to their duty posts has isolated the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
While agreeing that the government has met all its conditions, ASUU is holding out from resuming work on the claim that the government should pay the lecturers for the months that they did not work.
That is the sticking point that has now opened the ASUU activists to the claim of being selfish and turning what they initially claimed to be a selfless struggle for the upliftment of the universities into an egocentric venture.
it is worthy of note that SSANU and NASU have agreed to resume without the selfish demand of being paid for the months they were at home.
ASUU on its part is claiming that they are different, on the claim that they are going to teach the things that they didn’t teach.
The ASUU activists are carrying on as if they alone carry out the work of academia forgetting that the NASU, SSANU are also facilitators who with other stakeholders jointly contribute to the outputs from the universities.
Indeed, if you are Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), you believe universities exist for the benefit of their teaching staff.
When Professor Osodeke appeared on Channels Television on Friday morning you could see the difficulties of the normally friendly anchors who found it difficult to accept the sense of entitlement he sought to browbeat them with. The anchors could not understand why the lecturers should be paid for work not done.
“If they fail to pay, we will not teach those students” Professor Osodeke said. “Those students” are nothing more than a distraction for Osodeke, whose key demand is that his members are paid for work they have not done – because they have been on strike.
For a country that has had historical experiences with phantom experiences including phantom coups, the bid by ASUU to now introduce phantom work is laughable.
We cannot as a country accept that persons should be paid for not working, and certainly not paid for causing untold damage to the institutions they work for when they are not striking. Worse, to agree to Osodeke’s egregious demands would be to open the door for any public servant or even private employee to demand payment for nothing.
Even more, as Osodeke admitted during his difficult session with Channels, ASUU like every union has a strike fund from where its members are paid during a strike.
As such the demand by ASUU for back pay is now equivalent to its members getting double pay for doing nothing.
Indeed, the real victims here are “those students”. They contribute through their fees to the maintenance of the academic institutions to which Osodeke’s members are contracted but choose not to work.
“Those students” are studying to improve their futures, and that of the country. But they cannot move forward because of Osodeke.
Already Nigerian students take longer to graduate than in many other countries. Strikes, walkouts, and refusal to grade studies adds more than a year, on average, to each student’s time at university. This adds to their costs, their debts, and takes them late into the qualified jobs market. It also makes many thousands who might otherwise choose higher education to think twice about enrolling, and therefore not advance themselves even when they are capable.
In any industrial dispute, there comes a point when continuing with the action threatens to damage the very institutions and purpose of their existence.
This moment was averted by the leaders of NASU and SSANU. It is not being averted by the president of ASUU. Indeed, worse: he is purposely and intentionally sacrificing the futures of “those students” and damaging the very institutions on which his members depend – all to prove his belief that universities exist solely for the financial benefit of their teaching staff.
Mohammed is chairman of The Nigerian Project Initiative and James is chairman of Initiative to Save Democracy
The Joint Action Committee (JAC), of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions, NASU, and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, said it would suspend its ongoing strike on Wednesday.
The JAC’s spokesman, Mr Peters Adeyemi, said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja.
Recall that the unions had embarked on strike since March 27, to press home their demands. They joined the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that earlier went on strike on February 14.
The workers’ demands include renegotiation of 2009 agreements with the Federal Government; inconsistencies occasioned by IPPIS, and replacement of the payment platform with the University Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (U3PS), and non-payment of earned allowances.
Others are payment of arrears of national minimum wage; release of whitepapers on visitation panel reports.
Others are the reinstatement of staff schools’ teachers in line with the National Industrial Court judgement; poor funding and governance of state universities, among others.
Adeyemi disclosed that the decision to suspend the strike was taken following negotiation between the unions and the Federal Government team led by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.
According to him, the suspension of the strike was for the initial two months to allow government to implement the agreements reached.
“Part of the agreement is the decision of the government to set aside the sum of N50 billion for the payment of earned academic and earned allowances, cogent decision on the University Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (U3PS).
”Release of the whitepaper on university visitation panel and funding of the universities.
”On the poor funding of federal institutions, the Minister directed the National Universities Commission (NUC), to ensure that all the schools are up-to-date on what they are supposed to do.
”Otherwise sanctions will be visited on any institution that defaults.
“The Minister of Education also gave an assurance that no member of the unions that participated in the strike will be victimised,” he said.
Adeyemi also added that the minister said President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to devoting 15 per cent of the national budget to education.
He said, ”on the salary payment system, the minister said the alternative payment systems provided by ASUU, JAC of NASU and SSANU did very well.
”The minister also said the Federal Government was awaiting the report of the technical committee it set up before taking action on the matter.
”After prolonged negotiations and dialogue between the two unions and the Federal Government led Adamu and after the meeting, the two unions decided to suspend the strike for the initial period of two months.
“When we presented the offers that the government made to our members, they think that since the majority of the issues that are in contention have been substantially addressed by the government, the strike is hereby suspended effective on Aug. 24,” he said.
Similarly, SSANU in a statement signed by its President, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, said the meeting between the government and the unions was satisfactory.
Ibrahim said, ”Today, having satisfied ourselves that government, this time around has committed itself to agreeing to respect the agreements that have been reached at the meetings.
“‘We believe that it is only honourable that we give the government the benefit of the doubt, while the needful was being done at the government’s end.
“To this end, we hereby inform you of a two months window given to the government to actualize the agreements that have been reached.
”The two months window is in the nature of a ceasefire and does not represent a closure on the industrial action.
“It is our sincere prayer, given the assurance made by the Minister of Education and our commitment to ensure an end to the ongoing impasse.
”That the two months opportunity will suffice for actions to be taken and the entire matter laid to rest.
“In view of the above, NASU and SSANU members are hereby directed to resume duties on Wednesday, Aug. 24,” he said.