UI Staff School: SSANU, NASU protest non-implementation of court ruling

Two unions on Wednesday staged a protest on the non-implementation of a court ruling on the University of Ibadan Staff School.

Our correspondent reports that the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) as well as the staff of the University of Ibadan Staff School took part in the protest.

The staff school teachers, who were clad in black dresses, went round the University of Ibadan campus with the union members wielding placards with various inscriptions.

Speaking with a our correspondent on the sidelines of the protest, Mr Alfred Jimoh, the National Vice President, SSANU Western Zone, stated that the protest was on the lingering issue of Staff School teachers in Nigerian universities.

“On Dec. 5, 2016, the National Industrial Court ruled in our favour that government was supposed to be paying salaries of the staff in the University Staff Schools, but up till now government has not implemented the court judgment.

“We are using this protest to tell Nigerians that enough is enough of this disregard of government, to the rule of law.

“How can a court of competent jurisdiction give a ruling over an issue and government will be dragging its feet.

“This matter affects lives of Nigerians. All the staff school teachers are Nigerians.

“We are calling on Mr President and every stakeholder in this regard to expedite action.

“We are asking for immediate reinstatement of our members in staff schools to the payroll of the various universities where they are working, ” he said.

Jimoh further stated that the second reason for the protest was the issue of earned allowance.

“The N25 billion earned allowance that was released and which the government promised will be for everybody in the system is another reason for this protest.

“It was released to the universities and not to the union.

“At the last minute of release, we saw the template that we are still querying.

“How did it come about that 80 per cent of it is meant for teaching staff while 20 per cent is meant for the non teaching staff?

“This is creating a lot of tension right now in the university system,” he said.

Mr Salam Abdulsobur, the Public Relations Officer of SSANU, said government should have respect for the rule of law.

“This is three years now and we are yet to get implementation of the court judgment in almost all the universities,” he said.