UnionWarns Of Looming Crisis In Varsities, Asks Govt To Honour Agreements

Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has warned of a looming crisis in the nation’s university system if the federal government fails to honour its welfare and collective agreements commitments.

Rising from its 52nd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, the union condemned the continued neglect of critical agreements, withheld salaries and inequitable distribution of earned allowances.

The communiqué, signed by SSANU national president Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, said the members’ patience was thin.

“NEC expresses deep disappointment over the continued silence and inaction of the federal government’s Renegotiation Committee regarding the 2009 FG/SSANU Agreement. NEC strongly calls on the government to honour the two-week extension given by JAC of SSANU/NASU to avert the impending industrial crisis in the university system,” the statement read.

Regarding outstanding entitlements, the union said the continued withholding of salaries from its members who participated in the 2022 strike was unacceptable and urged the federal government to release the wages immediately.

It further accused the government of discriminatory treatment in disbursing earned allowances, noting that non-teaching staff had been sidelined.

The council also raised broader national concerns, such as insecurity and weak infrastructure, food shortages, and inadequate education funding.

The union condemned the poor state of public services and infrastructure, citing the recent Abuja-Kaduna train derailment, power failures, and flood disasters in Adamawa, Niger, and Lagos States.

The union said, “Nigeria’s education sector, from primary to tertiary levels, suffers from inadequate funding and outdated facilities. NEC insists that the government must urgently meet and implement global best practices in education by funding the sector adequately”.

The communiqué also addressed governance and the economy, criticising the present administration’s wasteful spending despite rising revenues.

The union also demanded immediate remittance of pension deductions, nationwide expansion of university solar power projects, and payment of outstanding salaries in state-owned institutions, particularly Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University in Benue State, where staff remain on strike.

It urged the government to strengthen food security, involve traditional rulers in security architecture, and prioritise infrastructure development.

“To reposition Nigeria’s universities for excellence and long-term sustainability, NEC urges the Federal and State Governments to grant full autonomy to university governing councils, strengthen research and innovation funds, and provide a living wage with guaranteed, timely salary payments. These actions are not optional reforms but urgent requirements if Nigeria’s universities are to compete globally,” the communiqué stressed.