From Gyang Bere, Jos
Plateau State University’s branch of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has reiterated the commitment of its members to remain on an indefinite strike following the refusal of Governor Simon Lalong’s administration to pay their earned allowances and minimum wage owned.
He explained that since the association embarked on a total and indefinite strike to demand payment of arrears of over N300 million earned allowances and Minimum wage owed members, the government has not engaged the association in dialogue with a view to resolving the issues.
The Association in a press statement signed by the Chairman, Timnan Rimdap and Secretary, Fom Dakwak on Thursday after an emergency meeting expressed disappointment over the posture being exhibited by the Lalong’s government which is supposed to be labour and worker-friendly.
“Members of the public will recall that the Plateau State University Branch of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) had, on Tuesday 21st December 2021, embarked on a total and indefinite strike action to register its displeasure on a range of issues, one of which is the failure of the Governor Lalong administration to pay arrears of Earned Allowances and Minimum Wage owed its members.”
The statement explained that the committee constituted by Prof. Attahiru Jega led Governing Council of the Institution after the agitation by trade unions in the University in 2017 and 2018 proposed after a widely reach consultation the rates for different Earned Allowances in PLASU Regulations and submitted financial claims from all staff of the University based on the proposed rates.
“Having painstakingly followed all due process and secured all the necessary approvals for the payment of its own share of the Earned Allowances, SSANU made numerous demands on the Lalong administration to release its own share which amounted to a total sum of over Three Hundred and Ten Million Naira only (N310,000,000.00) for the period 2010 to 2020.
“It is disheartening to note, that from 2019 to date, the Lalong administration which prides itself as a labour-friendly government has not released a single kobo for the payment of the arrears of Earned Allowances to PLASU senior staff. Even though “Governor alert,” has made several promises to pay the arrears, it still remains a huge surprise to SSANU that he has continued to treat the welfare of our members with complete laxity.
“It is also disheartening to note that since we declared an industrial action on 21st December 2021, the Lalong Administration has not only failed to address our issues but has also failed to engage the union in dialogue with a view to resolving them.”
The Association called on well-meaning people of Plateau State and members of the Northern Governors forum which Lalong is the chairman to prevail on the Governor to redeem his good name and set a good example for members of the Northern Governors Forum by paying our hard-earned arrears of earned allowances.
“We wish to state clearly that as long as our legitimate and hard-earned allowances are not paid, our indefinite strike action which commenced on 21st December, 2021 will not be suspended.”