SSANU, NASU Condemn FG’s Renegotiation Committee
The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities(SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions(NASU) has strongly condemned the inauguration of the renegotiation committee set up by the Federal Government.
Recall that the federal government inaugurated the committee on Tuesday in Abuja to renegotiate the 2009 agreements between the government and university-based unions.
A joint statement signed by SSANU President, Muhammed Ibrahim, and NASU counterpart, Peters Adeyemi, accused the government of prioritising the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) while sidelining other unions, describing the event as a “charade.”
The two unions stated that the entire inauguration seemed to revolve around ASUU, with the other unions treated as an afterthought.
“The Honourable Minister of Education’s speech focused almost exclusively on ASUU, while the other unions were barely mentioned,” the statement reads.
According to them, the President of ASUU was given a prominent role at the event, while the leaders of other unions were relegated to lesser positions.
“The President of ASUU was seated at the so-called ‘Responsibility table’ while NASU and SSANU leaders were left as mere spectators, a clear indication of the imbalance in the process,” the statement said.
SSANU and NASU expressed fears that the renegotiation would unfairly favour academic staff at the expense of non-teaching personnel.
“The President of ASUU was allowed to speak on behalf of all unions without prior consultation, further proving that the views of other unions are being disregarded,” it further added.
The two unions rejected the committee inauguration adding that “it signals a clear bias toward academic staff and undermines the rights of non-teaching workers.”
The 53-member committee which is chaired by the Pro-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Dr. Mahmud Yayale Ahmed was expected to produce realistic and workable agreements that would holistically tackle the challenges confronting the university system.
The committee also had as its member leaders of the university based unions including Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) President, Ibeji Nwokoma, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) President, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) President, Dr. Makolo Hassan.
The committee was given three months to submit the proposed draft agreements.
SSANU, NASU Condemn FG’s Renegotiation Committee is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
