The representatives of the federal government and the leadership of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) will Tuesday meet over planned nationwide strike declared by the unions.
Daily Trust reports that the minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, will lead government’s delegation while the President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim Haruna will lead the unions to the meeting.
It would be recalled that the university workers under the aegis of Joint Action Committee, had vowed to paralyse academic activities on various campuses starting next Friday, February 5, over alleged injustice on sharing formula of N40bn Earned Allowance.
Other contentious issues raised non-payment minimum wage arrears, inconsistencies in the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), delay in the renegotiation of FG/NASU and SSANU 2009 agreement, non-payment of retirement benefits of outgone members among others.
However, the minister, in a formal invitation sent to Daily Trust Monday night through the spokesperson of the ministry, Charles Akpan, noted government scheduled the meeting to resolve lingering issues.
The invitation read, “The Honorable Minister of Labor and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige will be hosting a conciliatory meeting between the representatives of the Federal Government and the Joint Committee of Non Academic Staff Union/Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities.
