Protests by two non-academic staff unions at the University of Ibadan (UI) extremely grounded activities on the university’s campus on Friday.
The unions – the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) – locked the UI gates and shut offices and classrooms across the campus, over the failure of the institution’s management to meet their demands.
EduCeleb.com understands that the development stalled the ongoing second semester examinations for the 2018/2019 session across Nigeria’s oldest degree awarding institution.
SSANU UI Chairman, Mr Wale Akinremi, threatened that the industrial action would continue until the university management yielded to their demands.
He noted that the initial seven and 14-day ultimatum had lapsed and the institution’s management was yet to do their bidding.
He said the demands were full reinstatement of staff school teachers, stoppage of illegal pension deductions and continuation of their October increment, which was stopped in 2019.
According to him, other demands include the the appointment of SSANU members in the disciplinary committee of the trial of their members or when treating their case.
“As well as stopping arbitrary redeployment of senior members of staff when there is any issue as if they are messengers; even messengers are not to be redeployed anyhow.
“UI management is using autocratic power to deal with our members,” he said.
Also speaking, NASU chairman, Mr Malachy Etim, said the indefinite strike was necessary, having exhausted all communication avenues without success.
In his words, “We had a meeting with UI management on Tuesday, and we told them our plights.
“The present management lacks the system of communicating with us.
“You will write two to four letters and none will be acknowledged, not to talk of responding to the issues raised.”
UI management calls for restraints
Reacting to the demands of the non-academics, the UI Registrar, Mrs Olubunmi Faluyi appealed to the unionists to exercise some restraints as they press home their demands.
Faluyi appealed that the non-academics be considerate of students who were already in the middle of their semester examinations.
“As we are in loco parentis to the students, who are also our future alumni/
alumnae, we should not do anything that would inflict further pains on their psyche.”
She also responded to some of the demands of SSANU and NASU.
Regarding overtime/shift allowances, she said that was no longer a pay roll item and “to that effect it cannot be paid along with monthly salary.”
According to her the overtime and shift allowances will be paid from internally generated revenue (IGR).
She revealed at a management meeting with officials of the two unions that it will cost the University between 3 and 4 million Naira every month.
Already, that of November 2019 has been paid. She promised that the outstanding two months will also be paid.
On the October increment, she said the bursary department would have to work out the financial cost of the increment.
In order for that to be done, she appealed that the bursary and internal audit units be allowed to work in their offices to do that.
Meanwhile, the management already estimated that the cost was about N28 million Naira every month considering that there are three months in arrears to be paid.
The University promised to pay that of one month immediately the financial implication is calculated while the other two months will be paid soon after.
Teachers of UI Staff School are expected to receive the usual 75% as agreed. One month (October 2019) has been paid already in the last few days.
“Management is committed to paying the outstanding three months latest by the first week of March,” she added.
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