By Onyekachi Eze
Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Imo State University Owerri branch, comprising the three unions viz; Senior Staff Association of Nigerian University (SSANU), Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), and National Association of Academic Technologies (NAAT) has commenced an indefinite strike action.
The industrial action which commenced at the early hours of yesterday by the sister-unions under the aegis of JAC was as a means of registering their displeasure over the non- payment of salaries, pensions, gratuities, and forceful acquisition of the Union’s plots of land at Irete, a community in Owerri West LGA.
Earlier, they were spotted at the IMSU front gate chanting solidarity songs with different inscriptions such as, “Enough of monkey dey work, baboon dey chop”; Pay us our earned allowances”; Remit our 28th months withheld contributory pensions arrears now or never”; Implement the blue print on adequate funding of the University reached since Wednesday 30th March, 2016″; Keep off from our land acquired 21 years ago at Irete”; Education is the greatest industry in Imo, please don’t kill it”; pay us our promotion arrears from 2004″, among others.
In a press release signed by the NASU Chairman, Comrade John-Anoruo Eugenia, SSANU chairman, Comrade Chukwu Felix, and the NAAT Chairman, Comrade Iroamaka Stan, they narrated their ordeals bothering on welfare.
They submitted that all their meetings with the School Management, Governing Council and the government proved abortive, hence the need to embark on the compulsory, indefinite strike action.
According to the release, the issues in contention are; “Non liquidation of Arrears of 2009 FGN Unions agreement.
Management/Council inability to keep faith with the agreement with the Unions since 2016 on the liquidation of 2009 FGN/Unions agreement.
“Non-remittance of staff pension to RSA’s for 27 months amounting of N648,000,000.00 (Six hundred and forty eight million). This contradicts 2014 Pension Reforms Act of page 12 schedule 3 (b) 6 and 7. We demand that this deducted Pension Funds for 27 months be immediately transferred our Various PFA’s in addition to 2 percent interest as stipulated in the pension law”.
“Non-payment of Promotion Arrears since 2004 till date amounting to N200,000,000.00 (two hundred million naira)”.
“Revocation of land at Irete allocated to Imo State University Staff since 21 years ago”.
“Our retirees cannot access their pension funds because of inability of the management to address the issue of actuarial valuation and remittance of our 27 months deducted pension funds”.
“Management/council inability to keep faith with the agreement with the unions since 2016 on the liquidation of Earned Academic Allowances (EM) and Earned Allowances (EA), totaling 5.695bllion naira.”
“Non implementation of Blueprint for adequate funding of the University. The Unions would recall that on Wednesday 30th March 2016, there was a tripartite meeting among the University Governing Council, Executive Governor and the Labour Unions on campus at Sam Mbakwe Executive Chambers, Government House, Owerri where the l Executive Governor gave the Unions a task of producing a blueprint for adequate funding of Imo State University which was prepared and duly submitted but that has not been implemented to date.”
“In as much as we commend the Executive Governor on his giant strides in the area of free education, we lament on the deplorable state of our great university due to poor funding and abysmally low monthly subvention to the University”.
It continued, “No University thrives without funding especially when the number of indigenous students that enjoy free education are of greater number in the University”.
“Non-implementation of CONTISS II in Imo State University. The National Universities Commission (NUC) had since adjusted the salaries of university workers as a result of review of National minimum wage in 2011. This adjustment is yet to be implemented in Imo State University.
The Unions on campus have shown the spirit of comradeship in handling this chaotic situation since 2015. We can no longer die in silence since our management, Governing Council and Visitor to our University have shown non-challant attitude to our plight”.
However, it is of important to note that they commenced the strike after a motion moved and supported by Comrade Onyewuchi Benjamine, and Emeka Njoku, respectively.
Addressing the aggrieved workers, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Prof B.E.B Nwoke who represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof Mrs Adaobi Obasi commended JAC for a show of respect and patience in handling the issue. While lauding them for following a due process, he assures of a collaborative effort of the Management/Council in bringing their plights to the appropriate quarters.
