The National President of SSANU, Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim
By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has lamented that the introduction of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) by the Federal Government has mutilated their salaries and made them poorer.
The National President of SSANU, Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, stated this at maiden North-East Zonal Executive Meeting and Workshop with the theme: “Team Building for Effective Service Delivery and Strategic Position for Influencing the Influencer”, which held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi over the weekend.
He said that his leadership came at a challenging period because it inherited so many problems, however, saying that they are determined, focused and have made up their minds to tackle such.
Ibrahim said that SSANU was living in a pariah nation and was in the third row in the activities of unionism in Nigeria, but within 7 months, the story has started changing for good because of the synergy they are having with all those that matter.
He said: “The major crux is that our 2009 agreement which was not done with some levels of preparedness has given us so much problems as members of SSANU”.
“Our members are suffering, relegated in terms of welfare but we are not deterred, although we have not arrived, we are still in the process.
“Individually at our different levels in our universities, some of us as branch leaders, we were able to convince our councils, our managements to understand that hazard is hazard. Everybody is facing hazards in Nigeria, members of SSANU are facing hazards.
“We have convinced our Councils and Managements and that we have started benefitting from this (hazard) allowances and then the almighty IPPIS came, and we crash landed. Our salaries have been mutilated, our salaries have been fractured and today, we are poorer.”
The Association’s National President, however, eulogized the ATBU Vice Chancellor as a simple and humble leader unlike heads of some universities who carry themselves as governors.
In his speech, the Union’s Vice President, North-East, Audu Isah, lamented the state of insecurity in the country and called on the members to contribute their quota towards finding lasting solutions to the problems rather than compounding them through their utterances, actions and write-ups.
“We all are stakeholders in the project called Nigeria. We should take a stand to talk less, listen more and join hands with our compatriots all over the country as we work together towards finding lasting solutions to our challenges as a country.
“We must continue to contribute our quota to the stability of our country. We must always remember that without peace and stability in our country, we cannot report in our offices, let alone to work and struggle for the welfare and well-being of our members.”
In his welcome address, the SSANU Chairman, ATBU Branch, Comrade Sulisma Jatau, said that his executive was able to coordinate and influence their members’ promotion even when work was stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that union business has become a very serious issue that requires the unionists to be upright, intelligent, strategic and committed to protecting the interests of members.