NASU, SSANU IMSU Protest Nonpayment Of Salaries, Allowances, Pensions By Govt

 By Ikenna Orioha

Members of Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) of Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, have taken to the streets, demanding immediate payment of their salaries,  allowances, pensions, gratuities, among other issues of their welfare by Imo State Government.

The groups made these demands through Comr. Ibeson Joseph Chijioke, Chairman of NASU IMSU, during a protest on the campus, on Tuesday.

Chijioke said Unions are urging government to look inwards and urgently meet their welfare and stop the Selective Payment of their Salaries, Non Remittance of Staff Pension to their RSA’s and the Resolution of all Issues Surrounding the C.P.S and the D.B.S, Non Payment of Promotion Arrears since 2005 till date, Non Implementation of the Financial Components of 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Staff Promotions.

The NASU Chairman added that the Unions are also requesting the government to urgently meet the Non Payment of Earned Allowances to theirs members, which he said was part of the FGN/Union’s Agreement of 2009, Restoration of 19 Months Arrears of Check -Off Dues of February 2020, September 2021, Proper Funding of the University in line with global best practices as obtainable in other Sister Universities in Nigeria.

He regretted that “NASU and SSANU members of Imo State University Owerri are faced with numerous issues that require urgent attention because they are bordering on welfare of members of the Unions. The Union have severally communicated to the Governor of Imo State and Visitor to the University, Hope Uzodimma, in writing through the VC of IMSU, but no response has been received.

“We chose to involve the media so that Imolites and the appropriate quarters can intervene and save us from the collapse of the hormonal industrial harmony that exist between the workers of IMSU, Management/Council of IMSU and the Government of Imo State is sustained”.

While commending the Governor for the regular payment of their salaries, Chijioke reflected that the Unions have noticed that their salaries have been amputated as most of their allowances and annual increments have been removed including the selective payment being adopted in the payment of staff salaries.

“184 members of the Unions were dropped from the payroll for over a period of 9 months and another 24 members of staff have not been receiving their salaries till date. We have also observed that every month, some members of staff who hitherto had been receiving salaries are dropped without reason, some were even labeled as retired when they are still in active service”, Chijioke added.

Some leaders of the Unions who were in the protest: Comr. Osuigwe Winifred (Chairman (SSANU IMSU), Comr. Ubadiala Ikechukwu Oyibo (Secretary NASU IMSU) and Comr. Ambrose Okereafor (Secretary SSANU IMSU), pleaded with government to do the needful to save them from difficulties.

“JAC, in session, pleads that the government should adequately fund the University to save it from imminent collapse where it is heading if urgent steps are not taken to change the narrative. We are also pleading that the blueprint produced by the Unions, Management/Council and the State Government for the proper funding of the University be implemented.

“Your Excellency, the Unions are partners in progress and therefore want to see a better Imo State University that will regain her pride of place in the comity of Universities in Nigeria and the world”.

Some inscriptions of the placards the protesters carried during the demonstration read: “Stop The Selective Payment Of Salaries And Pay Arrears To Our Victimized Members. Our Union Is Owed 20 Months Of Welfare/Check-Off Dues (February 2020, September 2021). Please Pay Us Now. When Will Government Pay Our Members Earned Allowances? Promotion Without Financial Benefits Is A Taboo, We Do Not Want It.

“The Labours Of Our Veterans Past Shall Never Be In Vain. Give Our Retirees A Sense of Belonging, Pay Them Their Pensions And Gratuities. A Good Pay Restores The Dignity Of The Worker. Pay Us A Living Wage. Reduce The Percentage Of Pay-As-You-Earn As An Incentive To Imo Workers”.