Strike: Kalizibe alleges FG downplaying SSANU, NASU roles

Amid the ongoing strike, Kalizibe Joseph, former chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) at the Federal University, Otuoke, claims the federal government is downplaying the roles of the non-academic staff, raising fresh concerns

… as non-academic workers shut down university activities

Kalizibe made this known in a phone conversation with BusinessDay on Tuesday, when he said the students, lecturers, and the entire university community will feel the impact of the strike because the non-teaching staff are not on the ground.

“The job we do is complementary, that’s what the federal government seems not to understand. We work 24 hours; unlike the teaching staff, whose responsibility is just to teach and to conduct research.

“Everywhere has been shut, from clinics to the post, and students cannot have a hygienic situation on campus right now, because most of our duty is an interface with the students as well as other staff, he said.

He reiterated that the non-teaching staff, such as security personnel, render essential services even during specific periods, such as Christmas, to safeguard federal government property.

Besides, he disclosed that the calibre of personnel, such as lawyers, doctors, nurses, and security men, among others, are involved in the strike, which makes the union a very huge one.

Kalizibe emphasised that the strike, which was declared on Friday, is total and comprehensive; however, he said the government called for a meeting yesterday, which ended in a deadlock.

“The meeting has been rescheduled for 3 pm today, and it’s still ongoing as we speak.

Meanwhile, many universities are shut as the non-academic staff embarked on industrial action, and this has crippled activities in many public universities, shutting down clinics, administrative blocks, hostels and academic support services.

Members of NASU and SSANU at the University of Jos took to the streets on Monday, protesting over unresolved welfare demands and delays in the renegotiation of agreements with the federal government.

At the University of Maiduguri, examinations have already been postponed as a result of the ongoing strike.

The strike, which began on Friday, May 1, followed the expiration of a one-month ultimatum issued by SSANU and NASU to the federal government to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement with non-teaching staff unions.

The unions rejected the federal government’s unilateral 30 per cent salary increase, insisting on a 40 per cent adjustment and accusing the government of failing to follow the collective bargaining process required by labour laws.

Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU president, earlier described the strike as a total shutdown with full compliance nationwide.

“It’s very effective, total shutdown for now. All clinics, administrative blocks, hostels, departments, faculty offices, admin offices, finance offices, even those providing so-called essential services, have been ordered to withdraw,” he said.

Ibrahim insisted that the unions were demanding fairness and equity, stressing that the minimum benchmark for negotiation remained a 40 percent increase.

“Our position remains the same: we’ve asked for equity. consideration and fairness, so nothing has changed.

“We will go and listen to them at the meeting, but the strike is on,” he emphasised.