SSANU/NASU Strike: FG, Varsity Staffs Resume Meeting Thursday

The representatives of the federal government will on Thursday, February 11 meet with the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions in Abuja.

Naija News understands that the meeting is aimed at addressing the disagreement between the two unions and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the sharing formula for the N40 billion earned allowances approved by the President Muhammadu Buhari government, among other demands.

The federal government and the unions had in their previous meeting, set up a committee to resolve the dispute over the N40b earned allowances and the IPPIS.

Despite the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, describing the meeting as fruitful, the unions vowed to continue with the strike until the issues were resolved.

In this regard, the Deputy Director (Press), Mr Charles Akpan in a statement earlier confirmed that Ngige will on Thursday, host the conciliation meeting between the academic unions.

Naija News understands that the leadership of the two non-teaching unions had alleged that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation were favouring ASUU members in the disbursement of the fund. SSANU and NASU had also outlined some other grievances including inconsistencies in the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, non-payment of arrears of national minimum wage, delay in the renegotiation of FG/NASU and SSANU 2009 agreement and non-payment of retirement benefits of outgone members.

Other issues in contention include the usurpation of the headship of non-teaching units by the teaching staff in clear violation of condition of service and establishment procedures, neglect and poor funding of state universities and non-constitution of visitation panels for universities.

In another news a few days ago, Awulu, a top commander in the banditry group that abducted over 300 schoolboys in Kankara Local Government Area of the state, accused Katsina State government of paying them the sum of N30 million as ransom before the boys were released.

The development is contrary to the statement released by Zamfara, Kastina and the Federal Government that no ransom was paid to release the students, Naija News reports.