SENIOR Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has threatened to embark on a mother of all strikes should the federal government make good its plans to stop funding of university staff schools across the country.
The Western Zone of SSANU issued the threat during a peaceful protest against a circular purportedly issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, directing Federal Public Establishments with Staff Schools not to fund their personnel budget from the treasury, at the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma-Edo State.
The unionists, carrying placard with various inscriptions marched through the university, chanting songs that captured their grievances.
Vice-President, Western Zone of SSANU, Comrade Alfred Jimoh, insisted that government must abide by the 2009 FGN/SSANU Agreements, which according to him, clearly state among other things that the recurrent and capital expenditure of the staff schools is the responsibility of government.
He appealed to the president, Mohamadu Buhari to intervene, as the said circular and its attachments in relation to the university system, are repugnant and in bad taste.
Jimoh added that throwing the staff of university schools into unemployment market was inconsistent with the populist mantra of the present government which has promised over one million jobs for the teeming unemployed Nigerians.
“SSANU is of very strong opinion that the principles of equity, fairness and justice demand that it would not be out of place if children of university workers are allowed the same privileges attending schools funded from the treasury, as children of military, police and even other citizens whose children attend public schools”, he stressed.
He accused the leadership of National Universities Commission (NUC) and some elements in the federal ministry of education of being behind the plot and appealed to Nigerians to prevail on the populist government of change to ignore the antics of those who are bent on negatively changing the status of the university staff schools.
