Strike: University Workers Hold Crucial Meeting With Nigerian Govt Today

The ongoing strike by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, may only be called off if the government agrees to pay members of the two unions N20 billion as Earned Allowance.

The N20 billion will only be for members of the two unions unlike the N10 billion that was earmarked for SSANU, NASU and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, out of the N40 billion government released for university workers including members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU as Earned Allowance.

The sharing formula adopted for the N40 billion was one of the reasons SSANU and NASU went on strike about three weeks ago.

However, the leaders of the two unions acting under the aegis of the SSANU/NASU Joint Action Committee JAC, are to meet the Federal Government’s delegation on today (Wednesday) to try and resolve the industrial face off.

This medium gathered that if the government agrees to the N20 billion Earned Allowance proposal, the strike could be called off.

Speaking in a telephone chat on Tuesday, the National President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, confirmed today’s meeting and expressed the hope that it would go well.

He, however, did not say what the proposals by his group to the government would be.

Also speaking on the issue, the Acting Chairman of SSANU, University of Lagos, UNILAG, chapter, Comrade Olusola Sowunmi, said all the branches of the unions have held congresses where decisions taken have been sent to the national leadership for necessary action.

“We have held meetings across the branches and resolutions arrived at being collated. Whatever we get from the meeting with the government delegation is for SSANU and NASU members. Our members have spoken and we have mandated our leaders and we are expecting what Wednesday’s meeting would bring, ” he said.

Recall that the unions went on strike over the sharing of the Earned Allowance, the inconsistencies in the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, non-payment of benefits of retired members, usurpation of some of their roles by academic staff among others.