“ALL WE’RE ASKING FOR IS OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY” – SSANU CHAIRMAN

 

  • “YOU DON’T RUN UNIVERSITY ON FACEBOOK”
  • “WE GIVE KUDOS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE STUDENTS’ UNION”
  • “WE HOPE THE INDUSTRIAL ACTION ENDS VERY SOON”

The Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), University of Ibadan Chapter has reiterated that the demands of the Union as well as her sister associations (NASU and NAT) in the University are centred on transparency and openness on the part of the management.

Com. Barr. Wale Akinremi made this reiteration in an interview session with UCJUI on Monday 8th August, 2016.

He itemised the agitations of the Unions to include shortfall in salary since December, funding of the University, privatisation of the University Staff School and poor communication between the management and the workforce (non teaching staff).

“All we’re asking for is openness and transparency. It is the responsibility of the Management to tell us why we’re having this challenge. Why are we having shortfall? Is it that they’ve cut my salary? Is it that I’ve been demoted? Is it that they’ve just devalued my value? You know there must be a reason for whatever you’re doing. So they should actually tell us what exactly the problem is,” the chairman said.

When referred to the statement released by the Vice-Chancellor recently on the Unions’ agitation, the Chairman was quick to ask where the statement was released and faulted the posting of the statement on Facebook rather than through the formal means of letter writing which the Unions had used.

Com. Akinremi asked:  “was the VC employed on Facebook? You cannot run the University on Facebook.  The managers of the University need to be extremely careful in terms of the way they communicate. What stops the management from writing to us?”

He said he was hopeful the industrial action would end very soon because “no responsible leader prays for absence of peace in his domain. There is less that is achievable where there is no peace. We are very hopeful that very soon there is going to be an end to this imbroglio.”

The SSANU Chairman was appreciative of the leadership of the Students’ Union for the past three administrations.

Com.  Akinremi said “in fact, part of the reason why the strike is this light is because the incumbent Students’ Union president has been calling and talking to me. And (let us) also give credit to the immediate past president because we’ll not forget the way he related with us. Responsible leadership means that you are not always combative. When it is necessary to be diplomatic, do so. So we give kudos to the leadership of the Students’ Union. We respect you, we appreciate you.  The synergy has been so good.”

Rebutting the belief in some quarters that SSANU and NASU had not always supported the students’ cause, Com. Akinremi said “during the last protest that led to the closure of the University, it was mentioned that I was even the one encouraging the students. It’s not about who is the student. It’s about what is right and not right; it’s about philosophy, it’s about belief.

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