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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has urged the Federal Government to immediately implement the increase of salaries of university workers by 25 percent and 35 percent as it earlier proposed.
It made the demand in a communique issued at the end of its 46th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held recently in Niger State.
The Union, in the document signed by its President, Mr. Muhammed Ibrahim, said though the proposal was a far cry from the salary increase it demanded, it would regard it as an award by the government, even as it expected that the award should have been implemented by now.
“NEC, therefore, demands the implementation of this wage increase, which had been captured in the budget before the end of 2023, pending the conclusion of the renegotiation with the government on the mutually acceptable salary wage,” it stated.
The Union commended the decision of the Federal Government to exempt all tertiary institutions from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), but encouraged the government to critically consult management of universities and labour unions on workable, reliable, seamless and acceptable approach in transiting to the new regime in order to capture the peculiarities of the university workers.
“This is with a view to forestalling the complicated problems that plagued the use of IPPIS. The NEC, therefore, urges the government to consider improving the old system with some latest features in the U3PS payment solution presented to it by the JAC of the SSANU and NASU.”
Additionally, SSANU called on the government to expedite payment of four months salaries of its members that were withheld as a result of the last industrial action embarked by the Union.
It further said it observed irregularities in the implementation of medical allowance to health workers, noting that the payment was haphazardly done.
“While some branches were paid, others were left out, especially research centres and institutes. The association, therefore, urged the government to integrate all deserving branches in the payment of this allowance, and also pay arrears arising from the delayed implementation of the same.
“Moreso, state governments should equally adopt the same measures, and pay their health workers the same deserving allowance,” it added.
The Union also called on the Federal Government to approve payment of wage award of N35,000 to workers in its payroll effective from September 1, 2023.
