The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities on Sunday slammed the Federal Government for neglecting the education sector for frivolities.
The SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, who stated this in his address at the 2022 May Day celebration in Abuja blamed the federal government’s insincerity for the frequent closure of universities in the country.
He stated that the standard of education in the country was declining due to the insensitivity of the government.
SSANU and Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions (NASU) extended their warning strike by one month on April 25 to press home their demands for improved working conditions in the universities, among others.
The two unions first embarked on a two weeks strike on March 27 and extended it by another two weeks on April 10.
The second extension expired on April 24.
Ibrahim said: ‘’The morale of university workers is dampened by the poor pay package and the government appears to be paying lip service to funding education. It is very clear that government pays more attention to frivolous things and has neglected the youths that are said to be the leaders of tomorrow.’’
The SSANU president also lamented that Nigerian workers were going through perilous times occasioned by insecurity, economic hardship, and other challenges.
He added: ‘’This year’s Workers Day comes when Nigerian workers are passing through perilous times. Nigerian workers and indeed members of our great union are confronted with diverse challenges like the rising spate of armed banditry, kidnappings, insurgency, economic hardship, and worst of all, the inability of the government to keep to agreements entered into with all the university-based unions in 2009.
Our members have been denied payment of new Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment arrears and a 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 of government to keep to its promises.’’
