SSANU cautions government against delaying implementation of new minimum wage

The senior staff union of the Nigerian universities warned the Federal and state governments not to overtask the patience and understanding of the working class over a new wage that ought to have been place over three years ago.  

Speaking at its 34th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union at Delta State University, Abraka, SSANU President, Samson Ugwoke expressed worry over the seemingly lukewarm attitude of the Federal Government’s representatives. 

SSANU also urged security agencies in the country to stop fighting among themselves and go back to the drawing board to fight the Boko Haram insurgents that have recently unleashed onslaught on the military bases and civilians in Borno State.

He said: “We warm the Federal Government not to push labour to the wall.

When it comes to the welfare of workers, they start being economical, but when it comes to election, they easily dish out money to buy votes.”

On the security situation in the country with regard to insurgency, Ugwoke said that current reports did not show that Boko Haram has been decimated as claimed by the government.

He added: “The military should go back to the drawing board, they should work together as the in-fighting among the security agencies cannot help in the fight against insurgency.

Budget for the Defence should be well utilized and should not be used to drive big cars by security agents.”

SSANU condemned the use of security agencies by the executive arm of government against the legislative arm, describing such action as ‘a threat to our democracy’.

The association advised the executive arm of government to respect the rule of law and abide by court judgements, adding that the rule of law is the bedrock of democracy, which should be respected.

On the 2019 general elections, Ugwoke raised the alarm that the way politicians were going about the political process was frightening and urged politicians to play according to the rules in order to ensure the military remains in the barracks.

He lamented over bad condition of roads in the South-South and South East, describing the roads in the two geopolitical zones as death traps and appealed to the government to embark on urgent road rehabilitation in the zones.

Commenting on the inability of the Federal Government to implement the judgement on Staff Schools, he said that the union might be forced to drag the government to court over contempt of court.

The SSANU President who is also Chairman of Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the three non-teaching staff unions of the universities hinted that the Federal Government may have released N8 billion earned allowances to the unions and that the leadership of the unions would soon meet to come up with sharing formula.