ASUU strike: Jonathan approves N400bn lifeline –SSANU

The end to the present strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may be in sight as President Goodluck Jonathan has approved N400 billion for the infrastructural development of Nigerian universities.
The document to this effect is expected to be made available today at the meeting of the presidential committee on implementation of the NEEDS assessment in the universities with the leaders of the four university-based unions – the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The President of SSANU, Samson Ugwoke, made the revelation while addressing his union members at the SSANU National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the weekend at the University of Abuja.
Ugwoke, briefing the SSANU members on the activities of the NEEDS assesment implementation committee, led by Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam. He noted that the fund was different from the N100 billion Governor Suswam had raised from donor agencies and big companies to tackle the problems of Nigerian universities in 2013.
The labour leader said: “Let me give you a tip on what the NEEDS assessment committee is doing. The president has approved that within the next four years; N400 billion would be expended in infrastructural development of Nigerian universities, to transform the universities to international standard.
“N100 billion has already been raised by Suswam committee out of which 61 universities have been pencilled down, as contained in the NEEDS assessement committee. The N100 billion is expected to address needs of the universities in the areas which include re-furbishing and renovation of lecture theatres and lecture halls, re-furbishing and renovation of laboratories/libraries and the renovation of hostels.
“The second category is building of new hostels of international standard, self-contained rooms, the latest model in the world. That is the standard to be built in every university, and also the state-of-the-art laboratories as well as classrooms, lecture theatres and the halls.”
Ugwoke pointed out that the money had been shared and out of the N100 billion, N96 billion had been sent to universities.
He added: “The committee is meeting again on Monday, and by Monday (today 19th August 2013), the document will be out. This time around, it is not only by giving university money, but it will be monitored to ensure that the money is used to transform the universities, to bail universities out of the present situation and developed to an international recognized university standard.
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University Workers Threaten Strike Over Allowance

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), in conjunction with Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike to press for implementation of what it described as "Earned Allowance" by the Federal Government.

National President of SSANU, Comrade Samson Ugwoke, gave the indication at the weekend in Uyo, during the National Executive Council (NEC) of the association at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Ugwoke, while addressing delegates at the meeting expressed disappointment at the failure of the Federal Government to capture Earned Allowances for non teaching staff in Nigerian universities in the 2013 budget, despite various presentations and negotiations with the appropriate authorities.

"We made presentations and negotiated with relevant bodies, but we are surprised that our Earned Allowance was not reflected in the 2013 budget presented by the president," he said.

He said for peace and industrial harmony to prevail in the university system in 2013, the Federal Government should urgently make provision for arrears and payment of Earned Allowances to non teaching staff in the university system.

He also called on stakeholders in the education system to join forces with SSANU, NASU and NAAT in prevailing upon the Federal Government not to maintain hard posture on matters regarding the welfare of non-teaching staff in Nigerian universities for the prevailing industrial harmony to be sustained.

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SSANU threatens to embark on strike by December

Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities has threatened to embark on a week warning strike over non-inclusion of Earned Allowance for its members in the 2013 budget.

According to a statement yesterday by the national president of the association, Comrade Samson Ugwoke, the union said it was ready to resist any attempt to reduce non-academic work-force of universities.

"Anybody talking of touching the numbers of our members in the universities is playing with fire. We will not condone that.

This is a warning to the government, any committee recommending reduction in the workforce of non-teaching staff in universities should be resisted by SSANU and other unions. It is a warning to the Federal Government; they should allow the status quo to remain to ensure peace in the university system.

"This time around, we are giving a warning early enough. I made it clear that until a provision is made in the 2013 Budget for the payment of Earned Allowance, nobody can and will guarantee peace in the university sector come 2013.

I am appealing to the Federal Government to hear us very well, if that money is not included in the budget and paid, there will be no peace in the university system. We will close down the universities for one week in December as a warning (strike) to the government," he said.

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