•Plunges UI into darkness, students stranded at UNIBEN
Members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASUU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), have vowed to sustain their action to get the desired results.
On Monday, the two unions began a seven-day warning strike to demand payment of their four-month outstanding salaries.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, had expressed displeasure at the action of the unions, which she described as a total disregard of the Federal Government’s concerted effort to address the concern of the unions.
According to her, the ministry was not officially notified by the unions of their intention to proceed on a seven-day warning strike. She maintained that strike does not serve any useful purpose and should only be resorted to as a last option after exhausting every conciliation effort. She appealed to SSANU and NASU to step back from their hard-line stance and meet the federal government at the table for conciliation.
But, as the seven-day strike entered day-two yesterday, the University of Ibadan (UI) was plunged into total darkness. The leadership and members of the unions also enforced the strike at the maintenance department, the staff school, and the postgraduate school. Some gates serving as shorter routes, especially for the hostels, were closed, thus making the students to travel longer distances. The use of lecture halls, toilets, and other faculty facilities was also affected by the strike.
Chairman, SSANU, UI, Mr. Rasak Omisore, said almost all the offices in the premier tertiary institution were locked, with members of staff in the administrative offices not on duty.
The leadership of UI Students’ Union, led by its President, Tobiloba Samuel, said it has met with SSANU to plead for the restoration of power in the hostels.
Samuel called on the government to accede to the demands of the unions as it is students that bear the brunt of the face-off.
At the University of Benin (UNIBEN), former students, who came for their certificates and statement of results, yesterday, were stranded as offices where non-academic activities such as students’ registration, processing of certificates and others are carried out were shut.
Officials of the two unions were seen enforcing compliance in offices, where some members of the unions resumed work.
One of the ex-students, Gloria Johnson, who travelled to Benin from Enugu for her statement of result, expressed her frustration as a result of the action.
“I feel terrible, I feel bad because I travelled a long distance to come and get my SOR (Statement of Result) today. We were told to come today, but on getting here, everywhere is locked and I am told NASUU is on strike.
“It spoilt all my plans and engagement because I was planning to go home tomorrow if I collect it today and continue with my business.
“I made a two-day plan to stay in Benin. I don’t have a one-week plan,” she lamented.
At the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the striking workers sang solidarity songs around the campus and vowed to sustain their action to get the desired results.
The acting Chairman of SSANU, Mr. Olugbenga Adenaiya, explained that there was no going back in ensuring that members of the union are given their due recognition, in line with what is given to other labour unions of university members.
“Firstly, I must say I am happy with the level of compliance by members, concerning this warning strike. We have been everywhere on campus monitoring proceedings, and I must say it is 100 percent and I am happy with the development.
“We do not have any issues with anyone. All we demand is fairness and equity. Government should look into our demands and accede to it, as have been agreed. It should pay us our withheld salaries of four months, so that we can go back to work. If it should listen to us and do the needful, we will do our own side of the bargain immediately. The national leadership of the union is planning to meet with the Federal Government tomorrow. Once this is done and we see positive signs, we do not have any issue, we will go back to work,” he said.
The immediate past Chairman of NASU of the institution, Mr. Kehinde Ajibade, described the level of compliance as highly commendable.
He said the only thing the government seemed to understand was strike, so the chapter had to comply in order to get their demands.
He noted that the union would stop at nothing to ensure sustained and total compliance to the warning strike.
“We are on ground and fully ready to ensure that the order is well executed and effective here on campus. Members of the union deserve their salaries, withholding such entitlements is tantamount to disregard to their persons and a large scale injustice.
“Our position in this strike remains firm. The Federal Government should pay us our withheld salaries. Prior to this time, we had the issue of the 2009 agreement, which we entered with the Federal Government, which is long over due, still lingering.
“We also have the issue of wage award, as well as unpaid EARNED allowance. Now, we are faced with four months withheld salaries, which our sister union, ASUU, has been paid since four weeks ago, and we are yet to get a dime.
“This injustice against members is unacceptable. We are told that the government will be meeting with our national leaders tomorrow. We remain optimistic that something positive will come out of it,” the unionist stated.
At the Lagos State University (LASU), the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), and the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), all gates were open for people to enter, and academic activities were ongoing.
“LASUED students were writing their first semester examinations while LASU and LASUSTECH students were seen trooping in from the gates to attend lectures.”
Chairman, NASU-LASU, Mr Obafemi Sanni, said though their salaries were not withheld by the Lagos State Government, they had to support the warning strike as directed by their national body.
Sanni said that they were not disturbing the academic activities of the university, but none of their members would be queried if they did not show up at their duty post.
Meanwhile, Chairman of SSANU, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria chapter, Mohammed Yunusa, has urged the government to pay the withheld salaries and other demands of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and NASU to avoid a complete collapse of the public universities.
He said their counterparts in the ASUU were paid their withheld salaries in February, leaving out the other unions.
“The unions protested against such payment to ASUU alone, issued a letter of demand to the federal government, and up till this moment, there was no response from them.
“SSANU viewed this as an injustice and a divide and rule strategy in the university system; a university cannot effectively function without inputs from the non-teaching staff.
“The workers are now at home because of the strike, with academic and social services at the institution grounded,” he said.
Yunusa added that power and water supply had ceased; internet services and servers shut down; libraries, laboratories and lecture halls had been locked.
Meanwhile, SSANU, Federal University Gusau (FUGUS) branch, has joined the industrial action.
The Branch Secretary, Attahiru Abubakar, in a statement in Gusau, said all members of FUGUS branch were actively participating in the strike.
“We maintain loyalty to the call by our national body, and we direct all branch members to comply.
“We all recall that the JAC of NASU and SSANU urged the Federal Government to pay the withheld salaries of our members at the federal university and inter university centres in a letter dated Feb. 13.
“Consequently a seven-day ultimatum was given to the government on March 1, within which it is expected to do the needful, but regrettably, nothing has happened till now,” he said.