The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Plateau State University branch has called on Plateau Government to pay the N607 million arrears of earned allowances owed staff of the university.

Comrade Timnan Rimdap, the Branch Chairman who briefed newsmen on 2019 May Day Celebration said that the allowances dated back to 2009 till date.

Rimdap said that Plateau State University was one of the few universities in the country that was yet to receive the allowances.

The SSANU chairman also urged the state government to pay the arrears of gratuity owed staff of the university.

He however, appreciated Prof. Attahiru Jega, the University Council Chairman for his labour friendly attitude and urged him to carry out a comprehensive audit of placements in the University.

The chairman said that many placements were done without recourse to the provisions of the scheme of service.

He said: “We have seen several professional accountants placed on Grade Level 8 in violation of the provisions of the scheme of service which places them on Grade Level 9.

“We have seen situations where professional accountants are converted to the executive cadre in violation of the scheme of service.

“Our members have been shortchanged for far too long.”

According to him, the development was caused by the exclusion of unions from the composition of the committee saddled with the responsibility of undertaking such tasks.

He added that if unions were included in the membership of the appointment and promotion committee, such things would not have happen.

He said: “We are also calling on the Governing Council to include SSANU in the composition of the disciplinary committee and any committee constituted to amend the University Law, Condition of Service and Scheme of Service.

“We were surprised to have been excluded from the composition of the committee constituted to amend our own condition and scheme of service.
“That decision was inconsistent with the collective bargaining principle which is deeply enshrined in Nigerian and International Labour laws.
“Conditions of Service should be a product of collective bargaining not unilateral imposition.”

The SSANU chairman also called upon the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Yohanna Izam to immediately constitute a Pension and Gratuity Board.
He said that SSANU was aware that gratuity funds had been lying idle for years without being invested.

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SSANU: Plateau Govt Owes Workers N607m Allowances Since 2009