What began as a negotiation expected to address long-standing welfare and career concerns of university workers has stretched for years, leaving many staff members increasingly frustrated. Across federal and state universities, expectations are rising that the Federal Government will finally bring the process to a close.
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities has warned that growing frustration over the delay in finalising the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement could force it to consider further action if the process is not concluded soon.
The concern was raised at the 79th Zonal Executive Council meeting of SSANU held at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, where representatives from 26 universities across the South-West gathered to discuss issues affecting members.
Speaking at the meeting, the National Vice President and Chairman of SSANU Western Zone, Dr Abdussobour Salaam, said the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement remained one of the most pressing issues facing university workers.
“Our charge here is to see that those pressing issues that affect our members, particularly the issue of renegotiation of our 2009 agreement, which has been long in coming, are resolved within the shortest possible time,” he said.
According to Salaam, the renegotiation process, chaired by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, is close to completion despite several obstacles encountered along the way.
“We are almost concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement with the Federal Government. The renegotiation is chaired by Yayale Ahmed; we are almost done with it, but it has not been without challenges,” he stated.
He disclosed that certain government officials had, at some stage, nearly disrupted the process, but commended President Bola Tinubu for sustaining the platform that allowed negotiations to continue.
“At a point in time, we had some government officials who were almost truncating the whole process, but we thank President Bola Tinubu for providing this platform of renegotiation,” he said.
Salaam recalled that the 2009 agreement provided for periodic reviews every three years, a provision that successive administrations failed to implement.
“The last negotiation was in 2009, and it was part of the agreement that every three years, the agreement would be renegotiated. We were supposed to have another one by 2012, then another one in 2015, 2018, and 2021,” he said.
While praising Ahmed for his leadership of the committee, Salaam appealed to President Tinubu not to allow individuals or groups outside the negotiation process to frustrate its conclusion.
“We are pleading with President Tinubu not to allow extra bodies that are not parties to the renegotiation to truncate the process, particularly now that we are getting to the concluding part,” he said.
The SSANU leader warned that members were becoming increasingly restless over the prolonged delay in signing the agreement, noting that the union had earlier suspended a strike to create room for dialogue.
“Already, the patience of our members is running thin. We have already gone on a strike that was later suspended to allow the negotiations to proceed.
“The patience of our members is running thin, and at the appropriate time, the relevant organs of the union shall make a pronouncement to direct our members to embark on a process that will force the government to ensure that the long-overdue renegotiation is duly completed.
“Our members are becoming highly restive. They are becoming greatly agitated by the delay in the signing of the agreement.
“So we want to call on the Federal Government to conclude all the arrangements for the signing within the shortest possible time,” he added.
Despite the warning, Salaam maintained that SSANU remained committed to dialogue and peaceful engagement.
“SSANU is, however, not belligerent, but it doesn’t mean that we are stupid. What it means is that we would ensure that before we embark on any industrial action, we have exhausted all mechanisms for peaceful engagement, all mechanisms in terms of communication, letters, reminders, and what have you,” he said.
He added that effective university administration depends on mutual cooperation between management and unions.
“We believe that management and union relationship must be symbiotic and not predatory, such that one party will try to consume the other party. Without the union, there can be no management and, without the management, there can be no union,” he stated.
Beyond the agreement, Salaam called on the Federal Government to introduce measures to cushion the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
“The government must think outside the box at this material point in time to see how they can ameliorate the hardships people are going through.
“The cost of living is at its highest level. Inflation is at its highest level. Government must be able to think outside the box to ensure that we do not have dead citizens in Nigeria,” he said.
He also renewed the union’s demand for expanded access to CONTISS 15 for non-teaching staff, arguing that many qualified workers remain stagnated on CONTISS 14 despite years of experience and competence.
“Our agitation over time has been that university managements should expand that ladder to enable our members to also climb to CONTISS 15,” he said.
Salaam commended the management of Olabisi Onabanjo University for implementing CONTISS 15 for eligible staff members, describing the move as a morale booster.
Declaring the meeting open, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Ayodeji Agboola, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof Oladipo Olubomehin, praised SSANU for its support and cooperation, noting that the institution’s stability and academic achievements were made possible through collaborative engagement with staff unions.
Agboola pledged continued commitment to staff welfare and constructive engagement with all unions in the institution.
Earlier, the OOU branch chairman of SSANU, Dr Abiodun Lamina, commended the university management for prompt salary payments and the implementation of CONTISS 15 for eligible members.
However, he identified personnel shortages, rising transportation costs, staff training needs, effective utilisation of the 30 per cent TETFund allocation for non-teaching staff and the need for a more conducive working environment as issues requiring urgent attention.
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