Non-teaching staff threatens to shut down UNN over unpaid allowances

By LAWRENCE NJOKU, Enugu

The non-teaching staff in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) on the auspices of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) have threatened to shut down the institution on November 15 if their members were not paid arrears of minimum wage and earned allowances.

UNN-JAC comprises the Non-academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU).

Briefing newsmen on Thursday in Nsukka shortly after protesting in some streets in the school, the Chairman, Paul Arua stated that a three-day nationwide protest that started on Wednesday was in compliance with a directive from the national executive of the union.

Some of the placards borne by the protesters had read:

“FG pay us our overdue minimum wage arrears now;

“We totally reject the proposed skewed sharing formula of earned allowances”,

“We reject the present sharing formula between reaching band non-teaching staff,” among others.

Erua explained that the national leadership issued the directive on the warning protest after its meeting on Nov 8 over the inability of the federal government to pay members arrears of minimum wage and earned allowances after a series of promises.

“If after November 15 our arrears of minimum wage and earned allowances are not paid by the government, JAC will embark on an indefinite strike that will paralyse both academic and administrative activities in UNN,” Arua said.

“It’s unfortunate that the government’s series of promises to JAC national executives on the payment of arrears of minimum wage and earned allowances have not been redeemed.
The UNN-JAC chairman urged the government to review its sharing formula on funds released for earned allowances between teaching and non-teaching staff in public universities in the country.

“A situation in the past when the government gave 75 per cent of earned allowance released to teaching staff and 25 per cent to non teaching staff is unfair and will no longer be accepted,” Arua said.

“Any earned allowance released by government for public university staff should be shared 50, 50 between teaching staff and non teaching staff, in the interest of fairness and equity.”

Erua advised all non-teaching staff in UNN to register with their unions as any unregistered staff would no longer benefit from earned allowances. (The Guardian)