SSAUTHRIAI seeks review of TETFund Act, payment of outstanding arrears, others
The Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) has urged the Federal Government to review Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act to accommodate Research Institutes and Allied Institutions across the nation.
SSAUTHRIAI lamented that TETFund Act is only limited to Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Educations, leaving out the research sectors.
A communique by the Sector Chairman, Com. Baba Mohammed and Com. Ademola Olajire, Sector Secretary at the end of Sectoral Council meeting of the association at National Cereals Research Institutes (NCRI), Niger State also urged the Federal Government to promptly pay wage arrears owe members of the association.
The communique appealed to government
to improve current level of funding of Research activities in the country to conform with international best practices.
“The Council-In-Session observed with dismay the government policy on federal workers taxes which has further overburden the workers, coupled with the hyper-inflation in the country. Therefore, the Council enjoined the federal government to have a downward review.
“We observed with dismay that despite the judgement of the National Industrial Court (NIC) delivered in September 2013 on the skipping of CONRAISS 10, we note with dismay that the ARCN directives to the facilities under her supervision to implement the Non-skipping of CONRAISS 10 as against the judgment from the Industrial Court.
“The Council therefore, frowns at the
contempt of the Court and calls for the immediate compliance with the Court judgment to avert industrial action by the Unions.
“The Council expressed its displeasure over the daily resurgence of banditry attacks, kidnapping and high decadence in infrastructure (Road network) across the length and breadth of the country. The Council is deeply concerned on the continuous skyrocketing prices of
goods and services as a result of many financial policies made by the federal Government.
“The Council-In-Session sympathizes with the flood victims in some part of the Northern states, and call on the federal government to take drastic action to avert future occurrence. The Council, therefore plead with the Federal Government to speed up intervention to mitigate the menace and to take drastic review on all multifaced aspects of our economy in order to ease the current hardship.
“Council-In-Session urged Federal Government for quick resolution and official release of the Research Institutes new Conditions/Scheme of Service as discussions have been concluded while awaiting the White paper on the agreement with the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation on the 13th December, 2020 we hope for the quick resolution and clear implementation,” parts of the communique read.
