Varsities Non-Teaching Staff: Why We Want to Shut Down Varsities

Non-teaching workers of universities have explained why they will soon begin another strike that will lead to the closure of universities.

The varsity workers, under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), said the inability of the Federal Government to honour the Memorandum of Action (MoA) it signed with the union last year informed the new move for a strike.

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It also identified lack of progress in the re-negotiation of the 2009 agreement with the Federal Government, which it said was long overdue.

The union said it had been reluctant to resume its suspended strike because of its effect on students, university education and the parents, regretting that the Federal Government was forcing it to resume the industrial action.

Also, the universities’ non-teaching workers said they were ready to present to the Federal Government the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (U3PS), which is expected to replace the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

SSANU’s National President Mohammed Ibrahim told reporters yesterday in Abuja that the U3PS was designed by professionals and that it captured all the peculiarities, including payment for sabbatical, visiting lecturers, among others.

Ibrahim said the inconsistencies of the IPPIS, which he claimed had caused untold hardship on lecturers, were still faced by non-teaching workers.

He said: “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 are the Responsibility Allowances for heads of departments, Hazard Allowances, Call/Shift Duty Allowances for Nurses, Doctors, Engineers, among others, and Overtime Allowances. They should invite us immediately for renegotiation.

“Another part 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…”

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CREDIT: ALLSCHOOL, The Nation