From Bamigbola Gbolagunte
The University of Lagos branch of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has expressed dissatisfaction with the recent sharing formula adopted for the disbursement of the ₦50 billion approved by the Federal Government for university-based unions.
To this end, the association has called for the immediate reversal of the sharing formula and overall review of the government’s decision.
The formula allocates 80 percent of the fund to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and 20 percent to three other unions in the university including (SSANU, NASU, and NAAT.
In a statement signed by the acting chairman of the association, Mr Olugbenga Adenaiya, copy of which was made available to our correspondent, the association condemned the sharing formula, alleging that there was no fairness in the formula adopted and thereby called for a review of it.
Adenaiya said “we consider this action by the government unfair, unjust and contrary to the principles of equity and fairness. Non-teaching staff significantly contribute to the overall functionality of Nigerian Universities and the allocation should reflect this.
“We urge the Federal Government to revisit this decision and ensure a more equitable distribution of the funds.
“We remind the government that the #50 Billion was as a result of collective bargaining reached during the industrial action between the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of SSANU and NASU and the Federal Government in 2022.
“We call on the Federal Government to reverse this decision to avert disharmony and further unrest on our campuses.
“Our leadership appreciates members for their patience and urges them to remain calm and continue with their normal duties. We assure members that our National Body is actively addressing the situation to ensure our members’ rights are protected,” he added.