SSANU Threatens Industrial Action Over Unpaid Salaries and Wage Imbalance

The Federal Government has been urged to promptly refund the remaining two months’ withheld salary of its members who took part in the 2022 industrial action by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
The frequent delays in paying federal universities, which frequently occur weeks after other federal employees have received their paychecks, were also criticized by the union.
The union’s 51st National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which took place at the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology in Wudil, Kano State, had these issues as one of its main points.

The union urged that compensation payments be standardized throughout all federal and state institutions, emphasizing that equity and fairness must be the standard, in a statement signed by Mohammed Ibrahim, the National President of SSANU, and released at the conclusion of the conference.
“Universities shouldn’t fall behind in terms of pay. The statement said, “The ongoing payment delay has become intolerable.”

The Federal Government’s ongoing silence on the renegotiation of the 2009 FG/SSANU Agreement, which has been unresolved for more than ten years, has shocked the union.

“It is unacceptable that there has been such a long delay in starting meaningful discussions,” the statement stated.

“In order to prevent an industrial crisis in the university system, we demand that the renegotiation process be immediately resumed and completed.”

₦10 billion given to non-teaching employees is “unjust.”
The three non-teaching staff unions, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), received only ₦10 billion (20%) of the recently announced ₦50 billion Earned Allowance, which SSANU also criticized.

The union said that this allotment was unfair, discriminatory, and ignored the critical role that SSANU members play in the efficient operation of Nigerian universities.

It stated that the sharing formula violated the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) made with the NASU and SSANU Joint Action Committee in 2022.

The academic union reportedly bemoaned the Federal Government’s persistent disrespect for Memoranda of Action (MoAs), Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), and collectively bargained agreements, threatening that SSANU would no longer put up with the practice.

The NEC stated, “These agreements are binding and must be fully honoured because they were reached through mutual consent and structured dialogue.” “The union will have no option but to pursue all legal and suitable means of enforcing compliance if this pattern of neglect persists.”

Additionally, SSANU voiced serious concerns about the nation’s deteriorating security, especially in Benue, Plateau, and other areas where mass murders have taken place.

In addition to calling for a national security emergency, the union urged the government to boost information collection, increase the professionalism of security agencies, and invest in new, contemporary infrastructure.

Through focused empowerment programs, it also promoted tackling the underlying causes of violence, such as social inequality, young unemployment, and poverty.

SSANU: Economic Reforms Make Things Harder
According to SSANU, recent economic changes including the removal of gasoline subsidies and currency unification have made life much worse for Nigerians, even though their goal was to stabilize the economy.

The organization noted that inflation, rising food prices, and dwindling purchasing power are putting workers and vulnerable residents under unbearable strain.

In order to mitigate the effects of economic policies, the union demanded that the federal government implement certain social protection measures, including conditional cash transfers, fuel vouchers, and food subsidies for low-income earners.

“As SSANU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the promotion of equity, professionalism, and good governance within the Nigerian university system and the broader national landscape, NEC calls on the Federal Government to exhibit sincerity, commitment, and responsiveness in addressing our demands.”

The message also stated that “the union remains resolute in its duty to protect the welfare, rights, and dignity of its members across the country.”