Fresh crisis as varsity workers embark on indefinite strike Thursday
Non-teaching staff in Nigerian Universities Tuesday commenced a three-day nationwide protest to press home their demands
Non-teaching staff in Nigerian Universities Tuesday commenced a three-day nationwide protest to press home their demands, which centred on Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), sharing formula of the N40 billion earned academic allowances, non-payment of arrears of the new minimum wage, among others.
The protesters, under the auspices of Joint Action Committee, which consists of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), staged peaceful demonstrations in different institutions across the country.
At the University of Abuja main campus, the President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, said they would proceed with their next plan of action by Thursday if the government failed to respond positively to their demands, saying the protest was just a tip of the iceberg.
SSANU chairman at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Fasunwon Williams, accused the Federal government of insincerity and failure to keep its promises.
At the University of Benin (UNIBEN), the chairman of SSANU/Joint Association Committee (JAC), Comrade Osewa Bedrocks, said the federal government wanted to strangulate them “so that we will not perform our responsibilities to members.”
At the Federal University, Lokoja in Kogi State, the protesting workers took over the gate and other areas of the Adankolo campus to register their grievances.
The Lokoja branch chairman, SSANU/Joint Action Committee, Uche Onyedi, threatened complete shutdown of the university should the government failed to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered into by the parties.
At the Bayero University, Kano, the protesters staged a peaceful demonstration from the institution’s convocation arena to the Senate building where they were addressed by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adamu Sagir Abbas.
Presenting the letter of complaint to the VC for onward delivery to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, the SSANU chairman of the University, Dr Haruna Aliyu identified inconsistency in their monthly pay due to IPPIS as their major concern, urging the government to expedite action to address the issue as contained in the MoU it had signed.
The Vice Chancellor said the university was committed to ensuring that all members of staff get what is due to them.