Strike : Political class forbids education, says SSANU

Funmi Bewaji

The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (SSANU) has said that no group depicts the forbidding of the education sector more than the political class in the country.

In an address delivered at a special meeting of the Western Zonal Executive Council of the Association, held at the University of Ibadan, lamented that the nation’s political class are unconcerned about the on-going strikes embarked by four different unions in the country’s ivory towers.

The address was jointly signed by Dr. Abdussobur Olayiwola Salaam, the National Vice-President (West) and Comrade Saheed Adewale Oseni,                    Zonal Secretary respectively.

The zonal body supported its National leadership over the extension of the ongoing strike until their demands are met.

The demands of SSANU includes the 

problem of inconsistencies in payments with IPPIS; Non payment of Earned Allowances; Non payment of Arrears of Consequential Adjustment of National Minimum Wage; Poor funding of State Universities; Delay in renegotiation of the 2009 Agreements; Non release of White paper of Visitation Panels; 

Usurpation of Headship of Non-teaching Units in clear violation of conditions of Service and Establishment procedures and Non payment of retirement benefits to outgone members.

“We have found ourselves in this sorry and unfortunate pass because of the insensitivity and wickedness of those who purport to lead us.  

“Their actions especially in respect of our educational system, particularly the Universities, has only revealed their true colors as a parasitic, opportunist and selfish group whose interests are only in what favors them and not the interests of the people on whose mandates they claim to hold offices. 

” If not so, how would all the four University based  unions embark on different strikes over similar and dissimilar issues and our rulers would sit pretty, sipping tea in their air-conditioned offices, totally unconcerned about the agitations in our ivory towers?  

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Their total disconnectedness is what led NASU and SSANU to embark on a two weeks warning strike with no acknowledgement or response from Government.

“The Western Zone of SSANU is here in solidarity with the National leadership.  Leaving our jobs to embark on a strike is not a pleasurable experience for us especially now that our salaries have been stopped.  But when we are dealing with a deaf and dumbs government, we must find all means of drawing attention to our plight.  

“Unfortunately, if Boko Haram means that Education is forbidden, there is no group that depicts the forbidding of education more than the political class in Nigeria. 

” For over six months, we gave notice of strike, repeated letters and reminders were communicated without any acknowledgement.  We embarked on a two week warning strike, no response.  

“We extended by two weeks, yet no

 response either from the employer Ministry of Education or from the conciliators office at the Ministry of Labour.  Nothing can be as sad and unfortunate.  

“We are however not relenting as our National body has directed a-one month extension.  We stand totally by them and remain unshaken in the face of attacks, intimidation and blackmail. 

“For us, this is a strike we entered into with justification and we shall remain undeterred till it reaches a logical conclusion,”Salaam said.