The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities(SSANU) of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta(FUNAAB) has raised alarm over the lingering delay in concluding the renegotiated 2009 SSANU/FGN Agreement, more than one month after implementing similar agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU).
In an Open Letter to President Bola Tinubu, Branch Chairman of the Association, Comrade Olugbenga Alayode decried the selective treatment ongoing in Nigerian public universities as orchestrated by the various agencies of government has grave implications on the pervading stability, peace and harmony in various institutions.
The Open Letter is hereby published in extenso below;
OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
To:
His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR
President andv Commander-in-Chief oft the Armed Forces
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Aso Rock Villa, Abuja
Your Excellency,
A CALL FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE: DIRECT THE IMMEDIATE CONCLUSION OF THE RENEGOTIATED 2009 SSANU/FGN AGREEMENT
We write this open letter with a deep sense of responsibility and urgency on behalf of the dedicated members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) Branch. I, Comrade Olugbenga Alarmed, by thet mandate of our Branch Executive Council, wishes to respectfully draw your esteemed attention to a matter of grave concern that threatens the stability and harmony of our public universities: the unjustifiable delay in concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 SSANU/FGN Agreement.
Your Excellency, the university system is a delicate ecosystem where every component must function optimally for the whole to thrive. While we acknowledge the recent conclusion of negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the subsequentt payments made to their members, we are compelled to ask: why has this same sense of urgency and fairness not been extended to SSANU and other vital non-teaching staff unions?
This selective implementation creates a dangerous precedent of inequity within our institutions. It unjustly elevates one group of workers while neglecting others who are equally indispensable. The administrative, technical, and professional staff we represent are the backbone that keeps our universities running daily. From managing student records and maintaining critical infrastructure to ensuring financial accountability and providing essential research support, our members are not ancillary; we are fundamental to the educational enterprise.
The Nigerian Constitution, which you have sworn to uphold, guarantees freedom from discrimination and assures every citizen of fair and just treatment in labor practices. The current situation, where our members are left in limbo while our academic colleagues receive their due, is a direct affront to these constitutional principles of equity and social justice. It sends a demoralizing message to thousands of dedicated workers that their contributions are less valued.
Your Excellency, our members are not insulated from the harsh economic realities facing the nation. They struggle daily with the same inflationary pressures, transportation costs, and housing challenges as every other Nigerian. The fruit of the renegotiated agreement: a new salary structure and improved conditions of service is not a privilege but a just compensation for their labour, long overdue. The continued delay is not just an administrative hiccup, it is a source of deepening frustration, financial strain, and declining morale that directly impacts service delivery in our universities.
Therefore, on behalf of the SSANU-FUNAAB Executive Council and all our members, we make the following urgent appeal:
That you, Mr. President, as the father of the nation and the guarantor of fairness, directly intervenes by directing the relevant government agencies to conclude the renegotiation process with SSANU and other non-teaching staff unions without further delay. We urge you to ensure that what is just for one is made just for all, thereby affirming that every worker in the Nigerian university system is a valued partner in national development.
While we remain committed to dialogue and industrial harmony, we must state categorically that our patience is not infinite. The current inaction is a threat to the peace and stability of our universities. We trust in your well-documented commitment to a “Renewed Hope” agenda, which we believe encompasses fairness and justice for all Nigerian workers, irrespective of their union affiliation.
We are confident that your sense of justice will prevail and that you will take the necessary steps to resolve this matter, thereby securing the stability of our universities and the welfare of all who contribute to their success.
Your Excellency, accept the assurances of our highest esteem.
Comrade Olugbenga Alayode
Chairman, SSANU-FUNAAB Branch
(For and on behalf of the Branch Executive Council)
