SSANU to overcome challenges of salaries, allowances payments in universities
By Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has called on University authorities to overcome the challenges of paying staff salaries and allowances regularly.
According to the association, there are inconsistencies in the payments of monthly staff salaries into the Integrated Payments and Personnel Information System (IPPIS)
The call was made on Thursday while the University of Maiduguri SSANU branch Chairman, Comrade Mustapha Ngoshe; was addressing members of the association at its national executive council meeting (NEC) at the Muhammadu Indimi Intl Learning Centre, Maiduguri, Borno state.
He lamented the unnecessary deductions from both taxable and non-taxable wages of university staff across the country.
Read Also: NBA Condemns Alleged Torture Of 28-Year-Old Man To Death In Bauchi
Besides, he added that there are no regular remittance of check-off dues to the various SSANU branches through IPPIS.
On the national minimum wage, the Union boss, noted that even the payments of minimum wage arrears to some of the university staff, are yet to be effected up to 45th meeting of association.
He listed other challenges to be overcome by the universities to include accident bonuses, overtime allowances and the non-remittance of National Pension Fund deducted from other sources, as when due.
“There are also usurpation of duties of non-teaching staff in the university system,” he added.
While declaring the meeting open, UNIMAID Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aliyu Shugaba, disclosed: “Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, has become the most peaceful city in the country,” stating that the state is a solemn entity, despite the over a decade Boko Haram terrorism that claimed many lives and property.
He said that UNIMAID has capacity to absorb shocks in the university system.
On the challenges of staff salaries and allowance, Shugaba, said: “I’ve no authority in taking critical decisions that affect the welfare of our staff,” stating that this applies to the non-academic staff that constitutes the highest decision-making body at the varsity’s Senate.
He said that there is no sanity in the University system, as it has suffered enough in the production of half-baked graduates.
According to him, the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Yushau Ahmed has decried on the low quality of university graduates.
The national president of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, added that the university staff have been denied their means of welfare, as the federal government has refused to pay their salaries and allowances.
He said that the welfare denials, included the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
He noted that even the implementation of the upward review staff salaries is yet to effected for varsity staff.
“There should be immediate implementation of both the salaries and allowances of our staff,” he declared at the technical sessions of the meeting.
