FG Insensitive To Workers Welfare- SSANU
As Nigeria celebrates the Democracy Day, the senior non teaching staff in the Universities have described the government of the day as insensitive and non-challant towards the welfare of the citizenry.
The union has also called on its members especially the Muslim faithful among them to use the occasion of Democracy Day and the Ramadan to seek divine intervention so that God would touch the hearts of those in government.
The non teaching staff under the umbrella of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, SSANU, through its President Samson Chijioke Ugwoke in a statement in Abuja, lamented that after the union and other non teaching unions in the Universities have reached an agreement and with a time line for implementation, government was yet to implement the agreement.
SSANU President in the statement signed by the National Public Relations Officer, Salaam Abdussobur, noted that the Federal Government was yet to honour the judgement of the National Industrial Court, NIC, that had directed her to recall the sacked staff school teachers that were disengaged by Vice Chancellors as a result of the Call Circular from government.
The statement read, “On behalf of the National President and the National Administrative Council of our dear union, this is to wish you a happy democracy day. We cannot but wish you less, given that these are not the best of times for our union SSANU and by extension, Nigeria.
“For over two years now, it has been one struggle or the other, over which the government has continually shown it’s hands as insensitive and nonchalant about the welfare of its non teaching workforce in the university system.
“Is it on the issue of University Staff Schools where the National Industrial Court has ruled that our teeming members who were laid off over the misguided and ill motivated Budget Call Circular should be reinstated? Or is it the Memorandum of Understanding reached in which it was agreed that a sum of N8 Billion would be paid to our members as part of the Earned Allowances being owed? “Unfortunately and shamefully, for a government that prides itself as democratic and takes the principles of rule of law and respect for agreements as primal, we are disappointed at the developments.
“This year’s Democracy Day should be a day of prayers for our country, our union and the entire university system. Coming during the holy month of Ramadan, we urge our Muslim brothers to pray specially that God touches the hearts of our ruling class so that they rule us with the fear of God and the love of the hardworking and hapless labourer in their hearts.
“We do not know politics; neither do we know political parties. What we know is our welfare and that is where our survival and happiness is derived.
“From UNIOSUN to Niger Delta University, from University of Abuja to Ladoke Akintola University, we urge that the growing insanity pervading our universities are stopped. Enough is enough on attacks on hapless Nigerians who are protesting and demanding that their trampled rights are restored.
“We use this medium to let our members know that we are not sitting by and we are not going to look by and allow this injustices to continue. We are going to defend and protect the rights of our members from our oppressors.
“Be it over the issue of Staff Schools or Earned Allowances. Be it over the issues of UNIOSUN or NDU. We are not relenting. We however need your cooperation. We need your unity, solidarity and proper compliance with the directives of NAC and NEC when tough actions need to be taken and I daresay that it is inevitable that tough actions will be taken because we cannot continue this way.
“Let us eschew every move to undermine the union and weaken our power of bargain. When we are united, we are strong. If we divide, we become weak. This is the time to unite more than ever before because the fight ahead shall be for only the strong!”
