SSANU, NASU begin 3-day protest over N22bn allowance sharing formula

The Non-academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have directed its members to proceed on a three-day nationwide protest.

The directive was issued in a memo dated November 8 and jointly signed by Peters Adeyemi, the NASU general secretary, and Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU national president.

The joint action committee (JAC) of both unions said the protest became necessary due to the sharing formula of the recently approved N22 billion earned allowances for four universities-based unions.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was allocated 75 per cent while 25 per cent went to the three other unions.

The unions had disagreed with the sharing formula while also giving the federal government a two-week ultimatum to reverse it.

It had also threatened a nationwide strike, should the federal government fail to meet its demands.

On Wednesday, the unions embarked on the protest across campuses as directed by the JAC.

“The protest should be centered on the proposed provocative formula to be used for sharing the next tranche of N22.127 billion to be released by the federal government for the payment of earned allowance at the rate of 75 percent to academics and 25 percent to non-teaching staff,” the memo read in part.

“It should also be against the refusal on the part of the federal government to pay the arrears of the minimum wage consequential adjustment as agreed at the last meeting of JAC with the Federal Government on 26th August 2021 at the Office of the honourable minister of labour and employment that the payment would be made to the members of NASU and SSANU before the end of October 2021.

“The protest should be within the campuses and each branch is free to determine the activities that would be carried out on each day of the protest which essentially must take on board the following: Press Conference, Writing and submission of protest letter to respective Vice-Chancellors for transmission to the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prayer Sessions, etc.

“As the branch protest marks the beginning of a series of industrial actions to be undertaken by JAC, you are to await further directives after the 3-day protest as the National JAC leadership will be meeting on Monday, November 15, 2021, and the outcome will be communicated to members. Every branch must comply and adhere strictly to these directives as no excuses will be entertained.”