From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has again called on the federal government to quickly address the issues that led to the ongoing strike by all the university based unions in Nigeria.

In his 2022 International Workers Day Message made available to Journalists on Monday, SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim said sustaining the strike action meant toying with the future of Nigerian children which could only spell doom for the nation.

Mohammed further urged the government and security agencies to strengthen efforts towards the restoration of security and prosperity to the country, noting that no nation makes progress in the midst of divisiveness, injustice, mismanagement of its resources and recriminations.

The union leader also commended Nigerian workers for their perseverance in the midst of unfriendly and hostile working environments.

He said, “Government should take urgent steps to address the myriad of challenges that led to the ongoing strike by the unions in the Universities.

“Toying with the future of our children will spell doom for our dear country.

I call on government to look into the demands of all the University based unions and take urgent steps to addressing them, so that our children

will go back to school.

“This year’s Workers Day comes when Nigerian workers are passing through perilous and dangerous times. Nigerian workers and indeed members of our great union are confronted with diverse challenges like rising spate of armed banditry, kidnappings, insurgency, economic hardship and worst of all the inability of government to keep to agreements entered into with all the University based unions in 2009.

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“Our members have been denied payment of new Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment arrears and backlog of Earned allowances in addition to other violations of our rights and privileges.

Our universities have been forced to shut ~down due to the insincerity to keep to its promises. The standard of education continues to go down due to the insensitivity of the government and the inability to provide conducive teaching, learning and work environments through lack of provisions of basic facilities that would make them compete favourably with their peers in other parts of the world. The morale of University workers are dampened by the poor pay package and the government appears to be paying lip service in funding education. It is very clear that the government pays more attention to frivolous things and has neglected the youths that are said to be the leaders of tomorrow.

“Despite the enormous resources God has blessed our beloved country with, those saddled with the responsibility of piloting its affairs, have turned the resources to a curse.

“No nation makes progress in the midst of divisiveness, injustice, mismanagement of its resources and recriminations.

I therefore call on the government to make more efforts towards the restoration of security and prosperity to the country.

“I also urge the government and the security agencies to do more to checkmate increasing incidents of security threats in the entire country.

“I wish to also commend our Comrades for their perseverance in the midst of an unfriendly and hostile working environment.” He stated.

 

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