Mr. Simon Lalong, Governor of Plateau State.
By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Jos – The National Executive Council, NEC of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU has urged Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, to pay N310 million arrears of Earned Allowances owed SSANU members in Plateau State University, PLASU, Bokkos from 2010 to 2020.
It would be recalled that the union in the institution has been on strike for about a month now following the failure of the state government and the University administration to address some of the union’s grievances as contained in the 21 days and four weeks ultimatum letters dated 2nd July and 3rd August, 2021 respectively.
The Chairman, Comrade Timnan Rimdap and Secretary, Comrade Fom Dakwak, in the strike declaration letter dated 21st December, 2021 highlighted some of the union’s demands to include; mainstreaming of hazard allowance at the Council approved rate, payment of arrears of earned allowances, payment of arrears of the new minimum aage from April 2019 to December 2020, addressing the issue of haphazard payment of salaries, constitution of a Board to manage the staff gratuity fund, implementation of the CONTISS 15 salary grade level, calculation of annual leave based on working days and compliance with SSANU NEC decision on the correct payment of check off dues to the union.
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The Vice -Chancellor, Professor Yohanna Izam had appealed to the unionists to resume duty as the Governor has promised to pay the said allowance.
The NEC in a Communique issued at the end of its 41st regular meeting held last Thursday at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, a copy shared with journalists in Jos, also called on the Vice Chancellor, Professor Yohanna Izam, to mainstream Hazard Allowance to SSANU members’ salaries in the University at the Governing Council’s approved rate of N30,000 since the State Government has released funds for the full implementation of the allowance.
While reading the Communique, the National President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim said, “NEC is aware that Plateau State University, Bokkos is on strike. NEC therefore calls on the Governor Simon Lalong led administration to release the sum of N310 million for the payment of arrears of Earned Allowances to SSANU members in PLASU. It also calls on the Prof. Yohanna Izam led Management to mainstream Hazard Allowance to SSANU members’ salaries in PLASU at the Governing Council approved rate of N30,000 since the State Government has released funds for same purpose.”
The Communique further called on the state government to address all other issues that led to the declaration of the indefinite strike in the University as well as called on the management of the University to comply with the decision of SSANU NEC on the correct payment of check off dues to the Union without imposing conditions that are alien to the Trade Union Act.
