Ignore ASUU’s MOU, varsity unions urge FG

The three major non academic Staff unions in the nation’s university system have called on the Federal Government to ignore any Memorandum of Understanding with striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities. The three unions are the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions, National Association of Academic Technologists and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities. The President of SSANU, Mr. Samson Ugwoke, who is also the spokesperson of the other unions in an electronic mail on Friday, advised the Federal Government to ensure implementation of agreement reached with the various unions in the university system in 2009 rather than an MoU with ASUU. Ugwoke said that the MoU being referred to by ASUU in the negotiation with the Federal Government was motivated by the selfish interest of the university lecturers while the 2009 agreements with the unions dwelt on issues relating to staff welfare. He said that the demands of ASUU in the said MoU would generate more crises in the university sub-sector as the non-teaching staff would resist any attempt to ‘sell’ the universities to the lecturer’s union. Ugwoke called on the Federal Government to give the deserved attention to the building of confidence in the government through implementation of voluntary agreement with unions. “We sympathise and solidarise with our sister union, ASUU, over their long drawn struggle for the welfare of their members. We urge the government to build more confidence in governance by respecting agreements it freely enters into with unions. “However, we caution that any settlement of the current dispute must take into account the interests of all the university-based unions (NAAT, SSANU, NASU and ASUU). The three non-teaching staff unions of NAAT, SSANU and NASU are opposed to any extraneous demands by either ASUU or any group in the university which are prejudicial to the welfare of our members. “Our stand is that government should jettison the so-called ASUU’s Memorandum of Understanding and concentrate on full implementation of the 2009 FGN/unions agreements which border on staff conditions of service and welfare, and increased funding to universities. “The MOU referred to by ASUU is for their selfish end and it is bound to generate more crises in the university sub-sector. “The non-teaching staff unions in the universities will stoutly resist any attempt to ‘sell’ the universities to ASUU.”