Universities’ Senior Staff Association Gives Reasons for Planned Strike

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU), has said that its threat to embark on strike is as a result of the inability of the federal government to honour the Memorandum of Action (MoA), it signed with the union.
SSANU said it has 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 the union to down tools.

The union also said that it is ready to present to the federal government, its alternative salary payment platform, the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (U3PS), which it expects to replace the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The National President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, told journalists in Abuja that the U3PS was designed by professionals and that it captures all the peculiarities including payment for sabbatical, visiting lecturers etc.
Ibrahim said that the inconsistencies of the IPPIS, which he claimed has caused untold hardship still faced by non-teaching staff.

He further said that another contentious issue is the renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement with the federal government that was long overdue was.

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 are 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 concern 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 (the leadership of SSANU and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions) are going to meet in few days to take our position. We have been reluctant to shut down the 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 a resumption, we only suspended the strike to allow government implement the MoA and we can resume anytime.

“Our members are facing hardships. The inconsistencies of the IPPIS are still there, corperative deductions and check-off dues are not remitted to unions. Some of our members who are into the corporative collected loans from banks and the banks do not entertain excuses.

“Our U3PS is ready to be presented to the government. We assembled professionals, remember we make payments for staff and we should have a better understanding on how the system works. We commissioned our professionals for the U3PS to replace the IPPIS, we have captured all our peculiarities including sabbatical, visiting lecturers,” he said.