From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has called on the Federal Government to quickly intervene and find a lasting solution to the alleged extortion of motorists by security personnel on Nigerian roads.
SSANU also condemned the condition of the nation’s roads, stating that it is shameful that a country like Nigeria with vast wealth cannot boast of motorable roads nationwide.
The Union also gave the Federal Government up till the end of February to pay its members all the arrears of the New Minimum Wage, while regretting that the money has lost its value due to inflation.
The university non-teaching staff further decried what it described as “the usurpation of their positions” such as University Public Relations Officers, (PRO) Principals of university secondary schools among others by the teaching staff who are members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
These were contained in the communiqué issued at the end of the Union’s 41st National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
SSANU, in its communiqué which was read and signed by its president, Mohammed Ibrahim, bemoaned the hardships that the non-implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS) have caused its members in the universities, and appealed to the government to unbundle the mode of payment by decentralising payment along staff unions to guarantee proper payment of salaries according to staff status.
The communiqué explained that SSANU NEC in session deliberated seriously on some critical issues specifically affecting labour unions, tertiary institutions and the state of the nation in general.
“The implementation of IPPIS has caused agonising pains in Federal Universities in this country. Salaries are paid in an unpredictable manner, where staff cannot envisage what is expected as salary monthly. This is prompting growing tension in Universities. NEC, therefore, urges the Government to unbundle IPPIS by decentralising the payment along staff Unions to guarantee proper payment of salaries according to staff status, capturing all allowances.”
“The issue of usurpation of non-teaching staff positions by academic staff in the university system is becoming worrisome.
“The association frowned at the alleged extortion on the nation’s roads by security agents, saying, “It is well-known by Nigerians that security men and women on our roads are extorting commuters who derive their daily living from the little money they get from conveying passengers to and from their destinations.
“This is in addition to the high cost of maintenance as a result of the bad nature of our roads which the vehicle owners have to bear. SSANU in session is seriously calling on the government to look at this matter and find a lasting solution to it.
“NEC in session seriously frowns at the endless insincerity and double-dealings of the Federal Government over agreements and memoranda of understanding seamlessly signed with labour unions. NEC recalls the several assurances of Government to pay the agreed arrears of the new National Minimum Wage. Unfortunately, this promise is yet to be met after countless months; the last promise being the end of October 2021. Government is enjoined to see to it that they keep to the promise of payment of the arrears of the New National Minimum Wage, which has already lost its value as of today. The Union is aware that the Government has requested the relevant offices of Government to submit their data on or before the 28th of January 2022, we urge Government to ensure that they pay the overdue arrears of the National Minimum Wage on or before the end of February, 2022.
“The shoddy implementation of Earned Allowances that has continued to cause untold chaos in Universities is yet to be implemented properly despite promises by the Government to resolve all the issues.
“This is made obvious, in addition to other issues by the omission of InterUniversity Centres in the payment of Earned Allowances. This is considered unfair and SSANU frowns seriously at it. Inter-University Centres should therefore be considered in the next release of payment of Earned Allowances.”
SSANU also condemned the government for going contrary to the court’s ruling on the issue of staff school saying, “SSANU noted that, “The issue of the University Staff Schools that had since been resolved by the National Industrial Court in favour of SSANU is still resurging
despite the Government’s several promises to comply with the court’s ruling. Many universities are yet to reabsorb teachers of the Staff Schools into their payroll. NEC received a report that the teachers are being migrated to a new salary structure called COMPISS. NEC noted that the COMPISS salary structure for university staff school teachers is a negation of the court ruling.
“NEC, therefore, advises the Government to comply wholly with court ruling as the Union shall employ all means to enforce the ruling accordingly.”
SSANU, in its resolution on the re-negotiation of the 2009 agreement with the Federal Government, said: “NEC observes with great dismay the slow pace on the commencement of the re-negotiation of the expired 2009 agreement with SSANU. SSANU as a Union has shown visible commitment towards the re-negotiation bearing in mind that the content of the existing agreement is obsolete and no longer in consonance with global universities’ best practices and realities after twelve years.
“NEC therefore, earnestly calls on the Government to see to it that the process commences in earnest.”
Speaking on the issue of insecurity and bad roads, it said, “NEC observes with palpable fear the worsening rate of insecurity in the country in spite of Government’s media pronouncements of curtailing insecurity. Nigeria is currently facing waves of different but overlapping security crises; extremist insurgencies, banditry, armed robbery and separatist secessionist agitations.
“The root cause of this malaise is bad leadership, fuelled by unbridled corruption. The consequences of these ugly developments include a destroyed economy, poverty and lowered standard of education. It is common knowledge that basic, tertiary and university staff and students are victims of daily kidnapping, robbery and banditry. Government should redouble efforts in protecting her citizens by curbing this ugly situation across the country.
“The precarious state of roads across the country is disheartening and calls for serious attention of the Government. Almost all roads nationwide are not motorable thereby causing loss of revenue and valuable time of transporting goods and humans to desired destinations. These bad roads are also largely responsible for several cases of robberies and kidnapping, as the long stretches of failed portions are veritable traps for commuters who are easy targets for criminals. It is shameful that Nigeria with vast wealth cannot boast of motorable roads nationwide.
“SSANU unequivocally calls on the Government to commence rehabilitation of these roads now that it is dry season rather than wait for the rains that will inhibit the construction of durable roads.”
SSANU NEC was also peeved and irritated by the high rate of unemployment and inflation in Nigeria, alleging that “this is largely occasioned by leadership ineptitude arising from poor economic policies.”