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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Non-Academic Staff Union(NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities(SSANU), Federal University of Otuoke chapter have joined their counterparts across the country to protest the sharing formula of Earned Allowance(EA) and non-payment of minimum wage.
The members of the two unions on Friday at the university campus armed with placards with inscriptions such as ‘We reject EA sharing formula’, ‘ FG pay us our share of Earned Allowance’. ‘ FG pay us our Minimum Wage Arrears’ demanded an end to unfair treatment by the federal government.
Mr Kalizibe Joseph, Chairman SSANU and Chairman of Joint Action Committee (JAC) in an interview said the protest is in line with a directive by the national body of the unions to kick against the EA sharing formula and non-payment of minimum wage.
According to him the unions are no longer comfortable with the sharing formula and want it to be addressed.
“Over the years we have been having issues over the payment of allowances known as earned allowances. Each time the allowance comes, there is a divide and rule system used by the Federal Government in the sharing formula. This does not go down well with us the non- teaching staff. The sharing formula over the years has been unfair to us. We have been short-changed. We are troubled over this and we have decided to embark on the protest.
“Also on the Minimum wage arrears, all the MDAs have received their minimum wage over the years leaving out tertiary institutions. So we are also using this medium to press for the payment. Several promises have been made but it has not been honoured. Basically, that is why we are protesting. We want our minimum wage to be paid and our earned allowance should be released to us.”
The NASU Chairman, Mr Ebhesi Godswill also in an interview said the federal government refused to accede to the demand of the unions; it would be forced to go on strike.
“The reason for our protest is very simple and explicit. We are saying no to the sharing formula to be shared of earned allowance. This money is to be shared among all the unions irrespective of position. We hereby reject the sharing formula. We are saying the sharing formula should be amended. The earned allowance should be shared appropriately. We have been promised October but that is yet to be fulfilled. It appears the government does not value the workers anymore. The education sector is crumbling everyday and the government is not paying attention. The government should do the needful.”
