The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Sokoto State University (SSU) branch, has called on the Sokoto State government to address pressing welfare issues affecting its members.
In a statement signed by the branch Chairman, Mr. Ismail Muhammad, and Secretary, Mr. Mansur Ahmed, the association emphasised the need for improved staff welfare policies at the university.
The statement appealed to the Sokoto State government to intervene and address the welfare issues, to ensure a conducive working environment and promote academic excellence at the university.
“We urge the state government, university’s management and the relevant stakeholders to prioritise the improvement of staff welfare policies and initiatives,” it said.
The union also drew attention to distorted union dues deductions, which significantly impacted on its daily operations and its members.
The statement said, “Deductions are made from our salaries for union dues but there have been challenges regarding these deductions.
“During the previous administration, deductions were withheld for seven months by the Ministry of Finance, in spite of numerous dialogues with the ministry’s personnel and the NLC proving futile.
“The same issue persists in the present administration, with our union remittance being paid in half for the past five months.
“We demand transparency and accountability in the management and remittance of our union dues, ensuring that all deductions are accurately accounted for and utilised for the benefit of our members.”
The association reiterated its plea to the state government to honor its promise of disbursing earned allowances to eligible staff members.
Furthermore, it emphasised the importance of allocating sufficient resources and backing for staff training initiatives to enhance standards in teaching, research, and administrative duties.
Additionally, it urged the state government to mirror the Federal Government’s actions by implementing the N35,000 wage award and a 25 percent salary hike across all tertiary institutions.