PLASU: SSANU urges Lalong to release N310m earned allowances

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has urged Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau to release N310 million for the payment of Earned Allowances owed its members in Plateau State University.

The figure represents the payments owed from 2010 to 2020.

The NEC made the call in a Communique at the end of its 41st regular meeting held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.

It also called on the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Yohanna Izam, to mainstream Hazard Allowances to SSANU members’ salaries in the university at the Governing Council’s approved rate of N30,000, since the state government had released funds for the full implementation of the allowance.

The National President of SSANU, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, who read the communique, said that the NEC was not happy that PLASU workers were on strike, and urged the governor to act swiftly.

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, and also urged the school management to comply with the decision of SSANU NEC on the correct payment of checkoff dues without imposing conditions alien to the Trade Union Act.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PLASU branch of SSANU declared an indefinite strike on Dec. 21, 2021 following the failure of the state government and the university administration to address some of the union’s grievances as contained in the 21-day and four weeks ultimatum letters dated July 2 and Aug 3, 2021 respectively.

The Chairman, Mr Timnan Rimdap, and Secretary, Mr Fom Dakwak, in the strike declaration letter dated Dec. 21, 2021 highlighted some of the union’s demands to include mainstreaming of hazard allowance at the Council approved rate.

Others included payment of arrears of Earned Allowances, payment of arrears of the New Minimum Wage from April 2019 to December 2020, addressing the issue of haphazard payment of salaries and constitution of a Board to manage the staff gratuity fund.

The workers also demanded the 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 checkoff dues to the union.

Rimdap, while reacting to the communique, told NAN on Tuesday in Bokkos that none of the issues highlighted had been addressed since the declaration of the strike on Dec. 21, 2021. (NAN )