The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has said it would soon shut down universities over the failure of the Federal Government to implement the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union.
SSANU said the government was taking them for granted over its reluctance to resume its suspended strike, which it said would take a toll on students, university education and the parents.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the association is ready to present to the Federal Government the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System, which is expected to replace the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which he said captures all the peculiarities, including payment for sabbatical and visiting lecturers among others.
According to him, “It was agreed that the 2009 Agreement should be reviewed every three years but 12 years after, not even 50 per cent was implemented.
“Part of the areas we have agreed for review is the Responsibility Allowances for heads of departments, Hazard Allowances, Call/Shift Duty Allowances for Nurses, Doctors, Engineers etc and Overtime Allowances. They should invite us immediately for the renegotiation.
“Another of our major concerns is the payment of the minimum wage arrears. They told us that they have budgeted for it and that we should submit the necessary requirements which we complied with but yet, nothing has been done.
“We (leadership of SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions) are going to meet in a few days to take our position.
“We have been reluctant to shut down universities because of its effect on the education system, students and parents but it appears that our peaceful disposition to resolve issues amicably is being taken for granted by the government.
“Remember it is just resumption, we only suspended the strike to allow the government to implement the Memorandum of Action and we can resume anytime.”
SSANU’s is coming weeks after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on a one-month warning strike.
