SSANU Rejects Committee’s Report on Needs Assessment

SENIOR Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has rejected  the findings and recommendations of the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led Committee’s report on the Needs Assessment of Nigerian Public Universities.

The union argued that the findings were tilted towards victimizing non-teaching staff in the universities and threatened industrial action should any of its members be sacked on account of the report.
SSANU in a communique called on the Federal Government to empanel another properly constituted committee, comprising equal representations of the four university-based unions and other relevant stakeholders in the system, such as the students and professionals and compare the report of such committee with that of Prof. Yakubu’s Committee.

The communique at the end of its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Bauchi State, said: “NEC-in-session roundly condemns the phantom findings and recommendations of the committee on the Needs Assessment of Nigerian Public Universities.

“Council wonders why some intellectuals could so glaringly sacrifice objectivity and intellectualism on the altar of group interest and parochialism. Council notes with great concern all the negative recommendations of the Committee on the non-teaching staff, particularly the veiled recommendations for retrenchment and transfer of the non-teaching staff from the University system.

NEC-in-session observes that, the findings and recommendations were highly prejudiced and were not based on any rigorous and empirical research as claimed by the Committee. Council-in-session observes that the government has been treating the non-teaching staff reaction to the report with levity.
“NEC-in-session warns that, any attempt to retrench its members based on the cacophonous, myopic and parochial reports, will be seen as an open invitation to yet another crisis in the University system.

“NEC-in-session notes with serious concern the directive of the Federal Government through its agency (Budget Office of the Federation) to exclude University staff Primary Schools in the University Budget with effects from 2014. NEC-in-session notes further that the case of Universities Primary Schools has been a product of collective bargaining since 1999 when it was agreed that the government will bear the full responsibility of University staff schools.”