UNIBEN workers begin three-day protest over earned allowance on Thursday

University of Benin (UNBEN) workers will on Thursday, November 11, begin a three-day protest over the proposed sharing formula of N21 billion earned allowances for teaching and non teaching staff of federal universities across the country.

The UNIBEN workers, under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), took the decision at an emergency Congress of the Unions in the institution, held on Wednesday.

The two non-academic unions agreed to embark on the three-day protest to compel the Federal Government to revert its sharing formula of the funds which are yet to be disbursed.

Addressing newsmen after the Congress, Chairman of UNIBEN SSANU/Joint Association Committee (JAC), mR Osewa Bedrocks, described the 75 per cent share for teaching staff and 25 per cent for non-teaching Staff as proposed by the National Universities Commission as provocative and unacceptable, adding that the plan did not reflect equity and justice.

He urged the Federal Government to immediately suspend the disbursement of the third tranche of the funds, which started in June 2009, pending the resolution of the issues at staked by readjusting the sharing formula.

Speaking, while delivering the unions’ position paper to UNIBEN Vice Chancellor, Professor Lilian Salami, for onward transmission to the Executive Secretary of THE NUC, Esewa called for the sustenance of the cordial relationship that existed between the unions and the management of the university.

He also demanded the full payment of hazard allowance and earned arrears of the new minimum wage consequential adjustment, which was approved in August 2021, in order to avert industrial action.