SSANU charges FG to implement agreement with University’s unions to eradicate strike

The National Vice-President, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Western Zone, Dr Abdulsobud Salam, has admonished Federal Government to implement the agreements reached with University’s unions to stop incessant strikes in the sector.

Salam gave the admonition during an interview at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Freedom Park, on Wednesday, in Ile-Ife.

He commended SSANU members with their 90 per cent level of compliance in support of the strike nationwide, saying that he came for proper monitoring and to sensitise the union members on the strike.

“The level of compliance of OAU SSANU staff is impressive. Departments, units and offices are not lesser than 90 per cent in support of the action. Hopefully, we’ll achieve our goals at the end,” he stated.

Salam attributed the strike to the lackadaisical attitude of the government to implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Union some years back.

According to him, part of their request was for government to stop paying their salaries through the Integrated Payroll & Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Others are the issue of non-compliance with court judgement on university staff school, payment of earned allowances, issue of non-payment of minimum wage, re-negotiation of 2009 agreement and funding of Universities.

He condemned the way government is addressing all these issues, saying that the Federal Government’s response would determine the way forward on the strike.

“We are part of the masses that are suffering in this nation, because we don’t have capacity to send our children to private Universities, no wonder our children are part of those affected by the strike and sitting at home.

“A situation where we cannot cater for children’s needs neither pay for their school fees, the same school fees that the government is charging, you’ll see that it’s unfair, so we have no choice than to fight for our right,” he stated.

The Vice-president noted that the strike would bring an end to all the challenges facing university education in the country, if government can answer their prayers so that their children would not experience the same in the nearest future.

He advised the government to answer the request of the University unions, saying it is not their desire to go on strike, but that it is the only language that the government understood.

“It is very unfortunate. It is the non-challant attitude of the government to the MoU and MoA signed and not implemented that led us to the 2020 and 2021 strikes respectively.

“So we are urging government to respect collective bargaining agreements. The agreements that were reached with SSANU, NASU in 2009, MoU, signed with unions variously especially in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 should be consummated.” the VP advised.