JAC-UUB joins nationwide protest

Akpan Umoh

The Joint Action Congress (JAC), University of Uyo branch, has joined the nationwide strike to express their grievances over the Federal Government’s apathy in fulfilling the agreement it reached with the congress.

Joint Action Congress is the umbrella body of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASUU).

It was learnt that JAC in a resolution passed on Friday, January 08, 2021 in Abuja, the body directed all its branches in all federal universities and affiliated institutions to begin a-three-day protest over the failure of the FG to implement the Memorandum of Understanding it entered with the unions.

The protesters stated that the issues in which the Memorandum of Understanding was drawn are: Inconsistences in the IPPIS Payment; Non-payment of Earned Allowance (EA); Non-payment of Arrears of National Minimum Wage; Delay in the re-negotiation of PGN/SSANU and NASU 2009 Agreements.

Others are: The usurpation of headship of non-teaching units by academic staff in contravention to the Conditions of Service and Establishment procedures; Non-payment of retirement benefits of out-going staff; Neglect and poor funding of State Universities, and Non-constitution of Visitation Panels to Federal Universities.  

The chairperson of the Joint Action Congress and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), University of Uyo Branch, Comrade Anietie Atai, mobilized all staff members of SSANU and NASU to express the displeasure of JAC to the inconsistences of the Federal Government on the welfare of University workers.

“The inconsistencies have made our members to pass through excruciating pains of market forces, economic policies and realities of the global pandemic worsened by the IPPIS saga.

“I advise all members to be safety conscious; adhere to all the COVID-19 protocols throughout the duration of the protests,” she said.

Atai, however, urged members to continue in the peaceful disposition of JAC by displaying targeted and special placards detailing the specific needs of the union for redress.