By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has called on the Federal Government to quickly review its economic policies and make amends before the situation becomes irredeemable.
This came as all the branches of the union started mobilizing to ensure full implementation of the seven-day warning strike expected to commence on March 18 over the federal government’s inability to pay the four months’ withheld salaries.
SSANU, at its 47th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, lamented the country’s economic slide and predicted that if not addressed, it may aggravate insecurity and other social vices.
A communique read by the National President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, stated: “NEC in session observes with grave concern the sliding economy that is hardly witnessing any steady growth. The national currency has been grossly devalued amid a volatile exchange rate. Inflation and unemployment rates are dangerously increasing, further fuelling the unabated cost of living to unprecedented and unbearable levels.
“This trend, without doubt, is a gateway to insecurity and other social vices. NEC, therefore, calls on the Government to urgently arrest this terrible and unbearable situation by introducing sound economic policies aimed at revamping this critically dysfunctional economy before it degenerates to an irredeemable level,” Ibrahim stated in a communique issued after the NEC meeting.
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SSANU’s NEC also deliberated on the withheld four months’ salaries that President Bola Tinubu had approved to be paid to university-based unions.
According to SSANU, some mischievous elements in Tinubu’s government were bent on pitting the unions against themselves, a situation he warned may not augur well for industrial harmony within the sector.
It said, “The National Executive Council (NEC) in session seriously frowns at the latest action of the Government, which excluded SSANU and other non-teaching university-based unions from the payment of the four months withheld salaries arising from the nationwide strike action embarked upon by all unions in our public Universities.
“While SSANU is not opposed to the payment of the withheld salary to our sister union ASUU, it, however, views this action as a clear violation and breach of the post-strike agreement with the Government on non-victimisation of our members who participated in the strike.
“We strongly oppose this discriminatory practice, which we view as the Government’s open invitation to industrial crisis. Credible information available to us indicates that Mr. President’s directive is for all University-based unions to be paid four months’ salary.
“NEC, therefore, suspects saboteurs in this government bent on destabilizing and destroying the good intent of Mr President towards sustaining industrial peace in the University system.
“NEC in session, therefore, calls on the relevant authorities of the Government to immediately implement the directive of Mr. President by paying our members the four months withheld salaries, failing which NEC has approved a one-week warning strike in conjunction with our sister Union in JAC, NASU.”
*Begins mobilisation for March 18 warning strike over four-months unpaid salary
The SSANU President announced that all the branches have commenced mobilising their members for the March 18 warning strike, threatening that all offices, lecture halls, and other public spaces will be under lock and key.
