DELSU: My Vision Is To Improve, Expand The Welfare Horizon Of Members —SSANU Chairman

By Daniel Dafe

Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) in Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Comrade Matthew Ovedje Eyuren, has said that his vision for SSANU-DELSU “is to improve and expand the welfare horizon of the union,” saying this is “in terms of what they take home, job security, job satisfaction, promotion and other things that are associated with welfare.”

He said this recently during an exclusive chat with Oasis Magazine, adding that SSANU, also has an agenda as a major stakeholder in the management of the university “would partner with every other union including the institution’s management to ensure that the university will take its shape and right place in the comity of universities nationwide and beyond.”

According to him, serving in the capacity of vice chairman, secretary and at a point acting chairman including his recent election as chairman of SSANU, Delta State Council, prepared him for the job and task as Chairman.

Recall that Comr. Eyuren took over from Comrade Monday Izu in acting capacity when he (Izu) was elected as a national officer of the union.

Eyuren said a visit will be made by the union’s leadership to the VC, Professor Samuel Asagba, after the 17th convocation event.

Meanwhile, he urged the VC not to listen to naysayers.

His words: “Nobody is actually bad but when you begin to listen to advisers that will mislead you that is when there is going to be clash of interests. As long as he is ready to partner with the union, we understand that strike is not the best option even though it is not out of place. If what you requested was given to you, would you go to strike again?”

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On the issue of the delay to implement the new minimum wage in the state, he hinted that they are waiting for certain things before they take action, saying the issue can cause industrial disharmony, just as he lamented that their salaries have not been reviewed since 2009.

Adding: “Look at the hyper-inflation in place, a liter of fuel with their badly adjusted meters we are buying at almost N1000 and the cost of feeding and all that…with all added, you will see that we are not living, but just existing and we see that something has to be done because if we continue like this, the staff work force is going to be eliminated. So, we need a bumper minimum wage, not even the N77, 000. I know Delta State is very rich and our governor is labour-friendly and I am waiting as a labour activist that as soon as the national does the needful it will not be difficult for the state to do better.”

Continuing, he disclosed that what was paid to them in DELSU is not the minimum wage, noting that it was “consequential adjustment of 25% and 35% according to the status of the worker and the fact remains that that is not minimum wage.”

Furthermore, Comr. Eyuren said that apart from the new minimum wage, they are going to review the 2009 Federal Government agreement, stressing that once it is reviewed, it is going to make life worth living for workers.

Speaking further, he said that the demands of SSANU in a letter sent to the VC were all welfare based and said that they are confident that the current VC who he said is also a comrade, has asserted repeatedly that SSANU is a partner and major stakeholder in the university, stating that staff welfare will be prioritized.

“In the first place, there are some staff members who are supposed to be earning what we call overtime allowance and others supposed to be earning responsibility and also some unpaid allowances that are hanging including 2020 promotion arrears that were omitted by the Prof R.B Ikomi Committee. One is even my major concern that is the secondary school teachers’ 19 months’ arrears. That is the difference between HATISS and CONUSS which has long been resolved by government and management after a long drawn court case, while waiting for the financial aspect after the de-stagnation of the secondary school teachers,” he said.

He concluded that, “given the transparent and all inclusive style of the current Vice Chancellor, the university will grow in leaps and bounds.”