The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has held the Federal Government responsible for the series of strikes embarked upon by various labour unions in the different sectors.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its 40th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State, signed by National President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim and made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

According to the union, the protests and strikes by different unions were as a result of the government’s constant insensitivity to the plight and welfare of Nigerian workers, and a total disregard for agreements signed and entered into.

He said: “Most of the industrial actions are traceable to government’s refusal to honour Memorandum of Agreement or Memoranda of Action freely entered into with the trade Unions

“It is heartbreaking that medical doctors could be on strike for over 40 days in Nigeria in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent life threatening cholera outbreak ravaging the country. NEC in session seriously condemns the attitude of government’s serial reneging on agreements with trade unions. Government is therefore urged to cultivate the habit of honouring agreements it willingly signed with labour unions to avoid these incessant strikes,” he added.

While disclosing negotiations with the Federal Government, which was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic would soon continue, SSANU urged both federal and state governments to offset all the minimum wage arrears of its members, lamenting that the new minimum wage, which was yet to be implemented, had already lost its value due to the high rate of inflation currently experienced in the country.

“NEC noted with great concern, the reluctance of some federal/state governments to implement the New National Minimum Wage and its accumulated arrears. NEC in session also urges the Federal Government to pay the arrears of New Minimum Wage as previously agreed in the Memorandum of Agreement,” the union said.

SSANU also raised concerns over the implementation of hazard and other earned allowances under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) as earlier agreed saying, “granted that implementation of the allowances has commenced, it is rather surprising that they are scandalously captured.”

(New Telegraph)

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