We are inching closer to victory, Fajoye assures LAUTECH’s NASU, SSANU

The Chairman, Joint Action Committee of non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Comrade Hamzat Fajoye, has urged members of the union to continue to keep the spirit of solidarity burning as they slowly inch closer to victory in achieving their demands from the Federal Government.

He, however, regretted that there has been no commitment of the Federal Government to pay the arrears of earned allowances being owed their members.

Fajoye disclosed that in view of the fact that the government is still a long way from effectively resolving the issues in contention, it is only expedient that they allow the process to be fully concluded before directing the end of the strike.

“Consequently, you are hereby informed that the strike has been extended by two months, within which we are hoping that all the contentious issues would have been effectively laid to rest. The two months extension is with effect from Friday, June 24, 2022.”

He said that appropriate authorities of LAUTECH are yet to accede to their demands of payment of outstanding earned allowances from 2013/2014 to date, payment of 32 months arrears of new minimum wages, payment of promotion arrears from 2012 to date, and payment of eight months arrears of cooperative deductions.

Fajoye urged them to disregard various rumors and misinformation, especially on social media, and to rely on their national leaders who are ever willing to give factual and true information on the status of the struggle.

He thanked all members of NASU and SSANU for their sustained compliance with the national directive on the ongoing strike action.

“The compliance of members, even in the face of the denials of our salaries, threats, and harassments, has continued to give the national leadership the needed strength and focus to forge ahead on our demands,” he said.

According to him, the success recorded by the JAC of NASU and SSANU, over the payment of the Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment arrears, which all staff in the university system benefited, was only made possible by the resilience of their members.

He said they have continued to follow up on the resolution reached with the government at the Tripartite Plus meeting held on Thursday, May 12, 2022, with respect to the testing of the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System (U3PS) software with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

“The three payment solutions – U3PS, UTAS and IPPIS, are currently being subjected to daily tests which have spanned three weeks so far and are still ongoing. While there has not been any final report, we are proud to inform you that our presentations have been very brilliant and impressive. We wish to also assure our members that the U3PS has been conceived to cater for all salary tables and allowances operational in the University system and there is no reason to fear exclusion by any group within the system.”