The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has called on the Federal Government to disburse the recently approved N50 billion Earned Allowances directly to universities, rather than through individual unions.
SSANU also cautioned the government against favoring any one union, warning that such actions could disrupt industrial peace and trigger fresh crises in the university system.
Although the Federal Government announced the approval of N50 billion in Earned Allowances for university-based unions, both SSANU and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have denied receiving any funds. Other unions expected to benefit from the payment include the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).
Historically, disputes have arisen over the sharing formula, with non-academic unions accusing the government of allocating a disproportionate share to academic staff.
In an interview in Abuja, SSANU National President, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, emphasized that the funds should be allocated to the universities, which are best positioned to distribute them based on staff responsibilities and institutional structures.
“As union leaders, our responsibility is to ensure we are paid. It is not our duty to decide how the funds are shared. Universities are the employers and should handle the disbursement,” said Ibrahim, who also chairs the Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising SSANU and NASU.
He added that distributing funds directly to unions creates division: “Allocating specific amounts to academic and non-academic staff breeds segregation. Payments should reflect each university’s personnel structure and responsibilities.”
According to Ibrahim, disbursing funds through universities avoids favoritism and ensures transparency. “Universities already have established committees that handle disbursement fairly. No union should dictate a payment template.”
When asked if the funds had been released, Ibrahim clarified, “We’ve heard approval has been granted, but we have not seen any payment yet. Until the money reaches the university accounts, we consider it unreleased.”
He confirmed that universities have begun collating staff data to submit to the National Universities Commission (NUC), as instructed in a recent circular. “Once this process is completed, we expect the funds will follow shortly,” he said.
