Varsity workers reject N50bn disbursement formula, demand equity

There are indications that a fresh crisis is currently brewing across the country’s universities over the sharing formula of the recently approved N50 billion Earned Allowances for both teaching and non-teaching staff in the institutions.

Specifically, the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have rejected the sharing formula.

Daily Trust reports the N50 billion is to be shared among the university-based unions which include SSANU, NASU, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

Reacting to the development on Sunday, the JAC of SSANU and NASU raised the alarm that 80 percent of the money has been allocated to ASUU, leaving a paltry 20 percent to the other three unions to share.

In a statement titled: “Unjust distribution of the approved N50 billion for university unions” signed by the JAC Chairman and President of SSANU, Comrade Mohamed Ibrahim and the General Secretary of NASU, Prince Peters Adeyemi, the two unions expressed displeasure over the sharing formula.

They described it as lopsided, grossly unfair, provocative, totally unacceptable, and capable of creating industrial disharmony, thereby further accentuating the teaching/non-teaching dichotomy in Nigerian universities.

The statement read: “The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) expresses its deep displeasure, outrage and firm rejection of the recent distribution formula adopted for the disbursement of the N50 billion Naira approved by the Federal Government for University based unions.

“We have received, with utter disappointment, the information that 80% of the sum has been allocated solely to the Academic Staff Union of Universities, while the remaining 20% is expected to be shared among SSANU, NASU and NAAT.

“This lopsided arrangement is grossly unfair, provocative, totally unacceptable, and capable of creating industrial disharmony, thereby further accentuating the teaching/non-teaching dichotomy in Nigerian Universities.”