By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has expressed deep frustration over the slow pace of government negotiations with university unions regarding their demands, amid the expiration of the four-week ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and tertiary institutions’ unions.
Recall that NLC, alongside the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), among other unions in tertiary institutions, had on October 20 issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve the crisis with the unions.
But after four weeks, some unions have lamented that little has been achieved.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, the SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, accused the government of insincerity in handling their demands, especially the renegotiation of the 2009 Agreement.
Ibrahim, who is also Chairman of the Joint Action Committee, JAC, comprising SSANU and NASU, revealed that although talks with the government have officially resumed, progress has remained painstakingly sluggish.
“We have met with the government team, and they asked us to resubmit our demands, which we did three weeks ago. Since then, there has been no further consultation or acknowledgement,” he said.
Asked about the following line of action, Ibrahim noted that decisions on actions beyond its expiration ultimately rest with the NLC leadership.
Highlighting the growing challenges, Ibrahim raised an alarm over the government’s plan to lease or outsource jobs traditionally held by university staff.
“This is a time bomb. We are meeting our National Executive Council, NEC, in Jos early December to discuss this issue and prepare a strong response to the government,” he declared.
He criticised the government for inadequate university funding and warned that outsourcing threatens staff job security while also increasing costs, since outsourced workers must be paid to deliver services.
Ibrahim also noted the government’s ongoing establishment of new universities despite claims of scarce resources, calling the situation contradictory and insincere.
He emphasised that outsourcing essential university services—such as hostel management, staff quarters, healthcare, maintenance, and security—could rekindle past problems.
He recalled that a similar security outsourcing during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration was eventually reversed due to ineffectiveness.
The SSANU president dismissed the government’s recent distribution of questionnaires to university staff, describing them as “crazy” and urged members not to complete them, indicating a lack of faith in the process.
With rising insecurity, harsh economic conditions, and infrastructure challenges impacting staff welfare, Comrade Ibrahim warned that unions will not remain silent.
He urged the government to reconsider its approach and sincerely engage with workers to resolve ongoing disputes affecting Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
