The year is coming to an end and the Joint Action Committee of non-teaching Staff of Universities in Nigeria is sending an end of year gift to the Federal Government by directing all its chapters, nationwide to resume Industrial Action come December 4, 2017.
The action to be taken by the Union is as a result of Federal Government’s inability to make clear, criteria for the allocation of the N23bn released to the University Unions.
A letter to this effect titled “Directives to immediately resume the suspended strike” was signed by the Chairmen of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, (SSANU), Comrade Samson Chijioke Ugwoke, Non Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institutions (NASU), Chris Ani and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) Sani Suleiman.
The Union Leaders noted that the Federal Government was given seven days to explain the criteria for allocation of the funds released and do the needful, but the deadline elapsed without response from the Federal Government.
“In view of the above therefore, you are hereby directed to resume the suspended indefinite strike action as from 12 midnight, Sunday December 3, 2017. During this period, the strike shall be total and comprehensive”.
The Union Leaders also complained that of the N23bn released by the Government, about N15.10bn was allocated to ASUU, while about N7.929bn was allocated to the Non-Teaching Staff Unions comprising SSANU, NAAT and NASU.
“In view of the obviously skewed and disproportion-ate allocation, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NAAT, NASU and SSANU hereby sundry and roundly reject the said allocation and demands the criteria used to arrive at the allocations”.
The Joint Action Committee of Non-teaching Staff of Universities had earlier embarked on a strike action on September 11, which lasted for two weeks and was called off September 25.
Also, the Union had in January 2017, embarked on a one week warning strike which was suspended on the strength of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government.
The reasons the JAC tripartite Union will be embarking on the strike action are as follows:
- Non-payment of Earned Allowances to members
- Problem of bad governance affecting the University system
- Poor funding as against UNESCO recommendations
- Inadequate infrastructure in Universities and abandoned projects
- Shortfall in payments of salaries
- Non-implementation of the National Industrial Court judgement in respect of University Staff Schools
- Registration of National Universities Pension Commission (NUPEMCO)
- Non-implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for Technologists
- Problem of lack of adequate teaching and learning facilities in the Universities
- Corruption in the university system
- Lack of seriousness in the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/University Unions Agreement
- Usurpation of Headship of Non-Teaching Units by Academic Staff
