The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has called on the Federal Government to review its economic policies and make amends where necessary, before the situation becomes irredeemable.
This is as all the branches of the union have started mobilisation to ensure a full implementation of the seven days warning strike expected to commence on March 18, over the inability of the federal government to pay for the four months withheld salaries.
SSANU at its 47th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, lamented the economic slide being experienced in the country, predicting that if not addressed, it may aggravate insecurity and other social vices.
A communique read by the National President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim stated: "NEC in session observes with grave concern the sliding economy that is hardly witnessing any steady growth. The national currency has been grossly devalued amid a volatile exchange rate. Inflation and unemployment rates are dangerously increasing, thereby further fuelling the unabated cost of living to unprecedented and unbearable levels.
"This trend, without doubt, is a gateway to insecurity and other social vices. NEC, therefore, calls on Government to urgently arrest this terrible and unbearable situation by introducing sound economic policies aimed at revamping this critically dysfunctional economy before it degenerates to an irredeemable level,"Ibrahim stated in a communique issued after the NEC meeting.
SSANU's NEC also deliberated on the withheld four months salaries the President Bola Tinubu had approved to be paid to university based unions.
According to SSANU, some mischievous element in Tinubu's government were bent on pitching the unions against themselves, a situation he warned may not augur well for industrial harmony being enjoyed within the sector.
It said, "The National Executive Council (NEC) in session seriously frowns at the latest action of Government which excluded SSANU and other non-teaching University based unions from the payment of the four months withheld salaries arising from the nationwide strike action embarked upon by all unions in our public Universities.
"While SSANU is not averse to the payment of the withheld salary to our sister union ASUU, it however views this action as a clear violation and breach of the post-strike agreement with Government on non-victimisation of our members who participated in the strike.
"We strongly oppose this discriminatory practice which we view as Government's open invitation to industrial crisis. Credible information available to us has it that the directive of Mr. President is for all University-based unions to be paid four months’ salary.
"NEC therefore suspects saboteurs in this government bent on destabilizing and destroying the good intent of Mr. President towards sustaining industrial peace in the University system.
"NEC in session therefore calls on the relevant authorities of Government to immediately implement the directive of Mr. President by paying our members the four months withheld salaries, failing which NEC has approved a One week warning strike in conjunction with our sister Union in JAC, NASU".
The SSANU President announced that all the branches have commenced mobilisation of their members for the March 18, warning strike, threatening that all offices, lecture halls among others would be under lock and key.
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