The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime to pay the N50 billion outstanding earned allowances to universities and inter-university centres.

The SSANU national president, Mohammed Ibrahim, made the appeal on Sunday in a communiqué issued at the end of the 43rd Regular National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Katsina.

Mr Ibrahim said the NEC-in-session noted that the delay in the payment of the outstanding N50 billion earned allowance was long overdue.

According to Mr Ibrahim, NEC-in-session deliberated on the promise of the government to release N50 billion for payment of outstanding earned allowances to universities and inter-university centres.

“This promise is now overdue. Government is, therefore, urged to keep to their word and not to renege on their promises to avoid industrial dispute in the system,” he said.

The union also demanded the immediate commencement and conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 federal government-SSANU agreement without further delay.

The union also called for the payment of the new national minimum wage arrears for some of its members who either have been paid or not fully paid.

Mr Ibrahim, however, said NEC expressed worry over the usurpation of universities’ governing council powers and functions.

“Statutorily, (the) council is the highest and final decision-making organ in any university. Some overzealous agents are trying, however, to truncate this process. Promotion in the system ends with the councils of universities, where a representative of the Federal Ministry of Education is also a member,” the union leader explained.

He added. “Councils of Universities should be allowed to do their work devoid of interference by the office of the head of service or any external agents for that matter. NEC clearly says no to the usurpation of the powers of (the) council in relation to the promotion of our members in universities and inter-university centres. It is poised to take all legal means to ensure that our members are not subjected to obnoxious policies.”

The SSANU president also said NEC decried the unwarranted pump price increase and deliberate petrol hoarding, noting that the avoidable situation had plunged Nigerians into a precarious economic situation.

(NAN)