THE Non-Academic Staff Unions of Nigerian Universities (NASU) have urged the Federal Government to ensure full implementation of the 2009 agreement.

Mr Samson Ugwoke, Chairman, Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Teaching Staff of the Nigerian Universities, said this at a mega protest organised by the unions to express their grievances on Thursday in Abuja.

The unions, operating under JAC, comprise NASU, Senior Staff Academic of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

The aggrieved workers carried placards with inscriptions such as “Government must respect agreement’’, `Government must respect Court Order’’, Impunity breeds anarchy, stop in it our universities’’, among others.

Ugwoke said that reneging on the implementation of the 2009 agreement and other Memorandum of Understanding signed with the unions was affecting the effective operation of the university system.

He noted that the unions had held several meetings with the Federal Government with no tangible results.

“We deem it imperative to draw your attention on the ongoing strike embarked upon by the non-teaching staff unions based on our demands for the full implementation of our 2009 agreement.

“The specific issues are the reinstatement of our members in the university staff schools, who were removed from the budget of the universities based on obnoxious budget call circular from National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.

“This is in gross contravention of the 2009 agreement with Federal Government and we have gone to the National Industrial Court that has also ruled in our favour.

“Also, the issue of payment of Earned Allowance where a sum of N23 billion was released by government in September 2017, was skewed in favour of a sister union by some government officers, thereby leaving 11 per cent of the said amount to the non-teaching staff.

“We also have the issue of shortfalls in salary payment; this has made our members to be receiving fractions of their salaries for upward of a year now.”

The JAC chairman also noted the issue of career progression for technologists to CONTISS 14 and 15, in line with the agreement reached with NAAT.

According to him, there is also the issue of usurpation of non-teaching career positions by academic staff and corruption in the universities system.

Ugwoke said that JAC had further signed two different MoUs with the Federal Government through the Minister of Labour with only verbal assurances.

He expressed displeasure that a segment of university system was being favoured to the detriment on non-academic staff unions.

“We are not pleased the state of affairs and strongly believe that with your intervention, all matters that led to the current industrial action of the Joint Action Committee unions shall be addressed, he said.

Earlier, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba said the protest had become necessary due to the unkept promises of the Federal Government.

Wabba noted that the university system was facing a lot of challenges such as corruption and injustice, among others.

“So, the strike must continue until justice is done because the sector needs more attention.

“We must do everything possible for this sector to achieve the desired results. It must be a priority of government and all stakeholders as it involves national development,” Wabba said.

Responding, Mr Joel Ojo, the Director, Tertiary Education in the Ministry of Education, said that efforts were ongoing to ensure that issues affecting the university system were speedily resolved.

Ojo said the ministry was interfacing with the National Assembly and that modalities were being worked out to resolve the ongoing strike and ensure that normalcy returned to the universities.

“I want to assure you that the Federal government is committed and I want to plead with you to give us some time,” he said.

Similarly, Sen. Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, who represented Senate President Bukola Saraki, said that the challenges affecting the workers had been noted.

“So I want to assure you that we are going to fight corruption in the universities squarely.

“I also want to assure you that every worker will get his allowances; other demands that you have made will be tabled before the house,” he said.

Also, Sen. Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central, assured the workers that NASS would resolve the issues.

“I will assure you in the name of the struggle and in the name of the Nigerian people that I will pursue your demand to a logical conclusion,” he said. (NAN)

– Mar. 8, 2018 @ 18:59 GMT |