Plateau State University Branch of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has kicked against the injustice and discrimination by the University’s Management on payment of arrears of earned allowances of its members.
The Union accused the Management and the Governing Council of paying sister’s union eight years of its arrears with one year left while their staff were paid four years and leaving them with a burden of seven years unpaid arrears.
SSANU in a communique issued on Tuesday in Jos at the end of its emergency EXCO meeting signed by the Chairman, Timnan Rimdap and Secretary, Fom Dakwak begged Governor Simon Lalong to released N323 million to address the discrimination.
Its lamented that the University also refused to mainstream the hazard allowance into its members’ monthly salaries at the agreed rate of N30,000 despite the released of funds for the same purpose since February, 2021.
“SSANU strongly condemns the fact that though its strike action has entered the 7th month, neither Management nor Governing Council has taken any serious step to address the issues in dispute.
“SSANU strongly condemns the fact that funds recently released to the University by Government for the payment of arrears of earned allowances was used in settling the arrears owed only members of the sister union in question, leaving our members unpaid.
” This development has created a situation where the sister union has been paid eight (8) years of its arrears leaving a balance of one (1) year while our members, who work in the same University, have only been paid four (4) years leaving a balance of seven (7) years.
“SSANU notes with disappointment that this naked show of discrimination which is unprecedented in the history of tertiary education on the Plateau, represents a wide departure from the principles of good management of human resources and good leadership, for which Professor Izam is an advocate.”
The Union expressed disappointment over the attitude of the Governing Council of the Institution who sit comfortably and watch the University management discrimination among its staff.
“SSANU wishes to state that the discrimination meted out to its members has generated high tension in the system and the union should not be held responsible should the current situation degenerate into further crisis.
“SSANU calls on the Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Barr. Simon Bako Lalong to call the Management and Governing Council of PLASU to order, in order to bring an end to the discriminatory treatment meted out to its members.
“SSANU calls on the Governor Lalong administration to release the sum of N323 million to address the discriminatory payment of arrears of earned allowances done to its members.
“It also calls on the Governor to direct the Management and Governing Council of the University to mainstream hazard allowance into our member’s monthly salaries at the agreed rate of N30,000, for which the union agitated and obtained cash backing from Government since February 2021.”