18th December, 2018
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria branch on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest demanding the immediate release of N8 billion earned allowance.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the branch joined the national body in a three-day warming strike to press home its demands from the Federal Government.
The Acting branch Chairman, Mr Shuaibu Halilu who led the protest within the university, said the action was in compliance to the directive by the national body to proceed on a warning strike.
He said the members were aggrieved over the non-payment of their earned allowance which had already been approved since May 13.
“SSANU, Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) had in a joint resolution at its 35th Regular National Executive Council meeting at Enugu State University of Science and Technology resolved to embark on a three-day warning strike.
“The strike is meant to press government to abide by the judgement of the National Industrial Court.
“The Federal Government has not released the N8 billion earned allowance promised to the unions by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige at a reconciliation meeting on March 13, 2018.
“Several months after, the money is yet to be released,” he noted.
He said it appeared that the letters being sent to the unions were delay-ploy by the federal government because it was needless.
The acting chairman said the unions had always made their positions known since the irregular disbursement of N23 billion to ASUU in 2017.
He said: “This non-payment of the earned allowance has become a source of discomfort and agitation by members of the three unions.
“We also accused the federal government of disobeying court judgement of the National Industrial Court (NIC) which in the last two years asked that teachers in university staff schools sacked by government be reinstated.
“The federal government through the minister had informed the chairman of the joint action committee (JAC) of NASU, SSANU and NAAT via a letter dated Aug. 9, that approval had been given.
“The letter indicated that approval for the release of N8b being payment of earned allowance for the Non teaching staff in universities and requested for template of payment to the unions.”
The chairman lamented that despite the industrial court ruling of Dec. 5, 2016 on technical dismissal of members in university staff school, the status of the workers remained the same.