THE Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has advised the Federal Government to consult widely with relevant stakeholders on the recent proposed 18 years benchmark for admission into tertiary institutions in the country to avert crisis in the education sector.

SSANU has frowned at the delay in the payment of four months withheld salaries which President Bola Tinubu had about two months ago directed that it should be paid to its members.

This is as the union has appealed to the Federal Government to extend the distribution of Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, buses to universities to aid in transportation of staff and students.

These among others were contained in the communique issued at the end of its 49th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting, held in Abuja at the weekend and signed by SSANU President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim.

The association called on the Federal Government to pay its members the earned allowances, noting that N50 billion was earmarked for the same purpose in the 2023 budget.

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On the 18 years benchmark recently announced by the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, as the new minimum age for a child to qualify for admission from 2025, SSANU said, “NEC in session lend her voice to critical stakeholders in the education sector in condemning the decision of the Federal Government to peg the age at which students can write the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE), and gaining admission into tertiary institutions at 18.

“Generality of stakeholders believe that this policy would drag the education sector back. While reacting to the comment by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman Tahir, that from 2025 any candidate who is not up to 18 years would not be allowed to write SSCE and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination Board (JAMB), urged Government to consult widely as it has promised on this critical matter to avert crisis in the sector.”

While calling for payment of the four months withheld salaries, it said, “The Union is aware of the Presidential directive for release of the 4 months withheld salaries of members of SSANU and NASU. We are however baffled that almost two months after, our members are yet to be paid. NEC therefore calls on the relevant Government agencies to implement the directive of the President by paying our members their 4 months withheld salaries.”

On payment of earned allowances, the communique said, “We are aware that the sum of N50B (Billion naira) was appropriated in the 2023 budget for this purpose. NEC therefore calls on Government to investigate, and also as a matter of urgency release the already appropriated funds for payment of Earned Allowances to our members to avert any industrial disharmony in the education sector.”

NEC in session appreciated government for reconstituting the Committee for the renegotiation of the SSANU/FGN 2009 Agreement and urged government to expedite action on inviting the union for the renegotiation process.

Commenting on the transportation challenge occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal, SSANU said, “The Union is aware that Government has commenced distribution of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to various states in the country.

“NEC in session had lengthy deliberations on the matter and resolved that there was need to request Government to extend distribution of the Buses to all Universities to aid in transportation of staff and students.”

It however noted that the removal of fuel subsidy and devaluation of the naira have made life unbearable for the masses and ignited widespread suffering and criminality.

“However, of late, it has been reported in several media outlets that subsidy has been reintroduced through the back door. One would have expected that the re-introduction would have reduced the price of petrol, and consequently the cost of transportation and that of goods and services.

“Unfortunately, the cost of petrol and other petroleum products keep skyrocketing, with some states selling for as high as N900 per liter and above in some parts of the country. Our Union members and the general public can hardly afford basic necessities of life. Many have parked their cars because their meagre salaries can no longer carry them if they add fuel cost to their expenses.

“NEC in session therefore calls on Government to urgently fix the local refineries. which is a major remedy to this intractable economic debacle,” it added.

The communique said that the union viewed the socio-economic upheavals in the Nigerian state as symptomatic of a failing state opposed to peace and progress.

It said, “A country with vast potentials of human and material resources is enmeshed in unbridled corruption and massive mismanagement, which undoubtedly spells doom and total collapse if nothing is urgently done.

“The country is economically prostate because of bad Government policies, high rate of unemployment fuelling dangerous insecurity challenges of kidnapping, banditry, youthful fraudulent activities, inflation, bad roads, failed medical facilities and all attendant manifestations of a dying nation.

“NEC in session therefore calls on the Government to redirect the ship of the nation by introducing sound economic measures, gag the corruption monster and provide jobs for the teeming youths to avert the total collapse of the country.”

It condemned what it described as suppression of protest by government, nothing that protest the world over is a fundamental right of citizens.

“There is nowhere in the world, especially in a democratic setting where government, through its agencies stop genuine and peaceful protest by its citizenry, especially when it is obvious that there is hardship in the land occasioned by bad governance.

“A case in question is the manner the Nigerian Police treated members of JAC of SSANU and NASU during their peaceful protest in Abuja, where they were harassed and intimidated from their point of convergence at the Unity Fountain.

“NEC in session also condemns in strong terms, the unwarranted arrest and even killing of peaceful protesters who were protesting against bad governance in the country. It frowned at the way the Nigeria law enforcement agencies, especially the Police brutalized protesters, even after obtaining permission from the same Police authority.

“NEC therefore warned the various law enforcement agencies, especially the police to desist from such barbaric and anti-democratic practices and perform their work with professionalism so as not to add to the already tensed atmosphere in the country,” it said.