The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has called upon President Bola Tinubu to formulate policies that yield immediate relief for the suffering masses,Daily Trust reports.
Some of the policies introduced by the Tinubu-led government, such as the removal of the petrol subsidy leading to a tripled fuel pump price, have caused significant hardship. Despite this, the president has consistently assured Nigerians that brighter days are on the horizon, likening the current challenges to the pains of a woman in labor.
Speaking in Ilọrin, the capital of Kwara State, during a press conference held as part of the ongoing 2023 quadrennial delegates conference/election of the universities and inter-university centers trade group council, NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, stressed the urgent need to address the prevailing hardship.
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He acknowledged that the government has good intentions and policies but emphasized that these alone do not alleviate the suffering of the masses.
Adeyemi urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to initiate a comprehensive harmonization of policies that can positively impact and mitigate the effects of the current hardship, particularly resulting from the removal of fuel subsidy. He expressed concern that the government removed fuel subsidy without implementing a suitable economic solution.
Adeyemi highlighted that President Tinubu’s celebration of 100 days in office was marked by promises amid ongoing hardship faced by Nigerians.
He emphasized the necessity of establishing mechanisms to align salaries with the current cost of living index and appealed to the president to address the outstanding backlog of four months’ arrears.
Adeyemi also pointed out issues with the IPPIS payment platform, including delayed third-party deductions, inconsistent salary payments, and the failure to pay increments and allowances as promised. He noted that the UTAS system, designed to address these problems, has proven reliable but has not been adopted by the government.
In conclusion, Adeyemi stated that the government’s nonchalant attitude toward honoring Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Memorandums of Agreements (MoAs) and its failure to pay for the period in question cannot force the union to resort to strikes.
