SSANU, NASU Reject FG’s Disbursement Formula for N50bn University Union Funds
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions (NASU) has strongly condemned the Federal Government’s formula for the disbursement of the recently approved ₦50 billion meant for university-based unions.
In a press statement jointly signed by Comrade Mohammed H. Ibrahim, SSANU National President, and Prince Peters Adeyemi, NASU General Secretary, the unions described the allocation as “grossly unfair, provocative, and unacceptable.”
According to the unions, 80% of the ₦50 billion has reportedly been earmarked for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), while the remaining 20% is to be shared among SSANU, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
“This lopsided arrangement is capable of creating industrial disharmony and further widening the divide between teaching and non-teaching staff in Nigerian universities,” the statement read.
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SSANU and NASU emphasized that non-teaching staff are critical stakeholders who contribute significantly to the functionality, administrative operations, and technical excellence of universities across the country. They asserted that the current distribution framework undermines their value and contributions.
“This is not a supremacy contest among unions. It is about fairness and equitable recognition of all workers who form the backbone of the Nigerian university system,” the statement added.
The unions warned that the implementation of such a “discriminatory” sharing formula would provoke “avoidable resentment” and could lead to industrial action that would destabilize the already fragile academic calendar.
“We urge the Federal Government to immediately review and reverse the allocation formula to reflect justice, equity, and inclusiveness,” the statement concluded.
Both SSANU and NASU reiterated their commitment to the development of the Nigerian university system but vowed not to remain silent while their rights are “trampled” and their members “treated with disdain.”
They called on the government to act swiftly, warning that failure to address the issue could have serious repercussions for industrial peace in the nation’s tertiary institutions.
By PRNigeria