The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has expressed disappointment and frustration over the alleged “humongous tax deductions” on various goods and services, which are affecting the meagre salaries of its members.
According to the SSANU President, Comrade Mohamed Ibrahim, the taxes, including the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax, the hike in Value Added Tax (VAT), and numerous unexplainable tariffs, have rendered the N70,000 minimum wage increase useless and ineffective.
The Union stated this in a Communique issued at the end of its 50th Regular National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.
The SSANU leadership has called on the government to work towards a worker-friendly tax regime to alleviate the hardship faced by workers.
“NEC noted with disappointment and excruciating pains the humongous tax on various goods and services… This has drastically rendered the Seventy (70) Thousand Naira minimum wage increase useless and of no effect,” the communique stated.
Additionally, SSANU has decried the alleged payment of incomplete salaries and withholding of third-party deductions through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform.
The union has also expressed displeasure over the continuous delay in the release of N50 billion for the payment of earned allowances and other benefits.
SSANU has further appealed to the Federal Government to pay the remaining two months’ withheld salaries and third-party deductions to guarantee industrial harmony in all Nigerian universities and inter-university centers.
The union also deliberated on other pressing issues, including the non-payment of minimum wage by some states, electricity crisis, security challenges, and poor road network.
“NEC in session also observed that some State Governments are yet to implement, not to talk of payment of the arrears of the last reviewed Minimum Wage. It therefore calls on all such State Governments to do the needful and bring workers in State Universities up to same pace with their counterparts in Federal Universities.
“We commend the effort of the Federal Government on the improved electricity supply, though at very exploitative and exorbitant rates. NEC observed that most Universities and inter-university centres are constantly running on generators because their overhead costs are unable to pay their electricity bills, thereby making it unconducive for Universities to operate optimally.
“We observed with dismay the continuous deterioration of the security situation in the country with its attendant increase in cases of kidnapping for ransom and organ harvest, banditry farmers/herder clashes, armed robbery among others,” it said.
