Kogi State University (KSU) has been grounded as two more workers’ union declare indefinite strike in the already troubled institution.
Members of the KSU chapters of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) both downed tools on Monday, March 23, four days after the university’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) began its industrial action.
The chapter chairman of SSANU, Comrade Moses Balogun, told Leadership that the workers decided to down tools to protest poor welfare of lecturers and gross mismanagement of the institution which has reduced the quality of learning.
Balogun also said the government has also failed to implement the 2009 FGN/University based Unions’ Agreements.
“As we are talking to you, apart from the salary aspect, and that of the peculiar allowance that has been implemented in the university, all the allowances that are supposed to be paid, were paid partially to some people management felt are loyal to them. All other issues relating to the agreement has not been met”
The union boss blamed the institution’s management and governing council and called for the removal of the Vice Chancellor, Prof Hassan Isah.
Earlier, the chapter ASUU chairman, Dr Abdullahi Musa Yusuf, said lecturers were on strike over N1 billion owed them in allowances.
“We have made efforts to dialogue with government on this matter but we are getting cold shoulders from them,” Yusuf said.
“Those who held talks with us on behalf of government did not seem to take us serious.
“As I always say, strike is always our last resort.”
Prof Isah had however said the institution’s failure to implement the agreement was neither the management’s nor the government’s fault, but ASUU’s.
The VC had called for further negotiations rather than strikes before SSANU and NASU joined the strike.
SSANU’s national body has also threatened to shut down the Nigerian University System over the 2009 agreements.
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