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“The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has expressed that President Bola Tinubu’s government, while possessing good intentions and policies, falls short of meeting the immediate needs of the masses. NASU called upon President Tinubu to reformulate these policies for swift relief to those currently enduring hardship, advocating for the revival and operation of the nation’s four oil refineries by the Federal Government.

Some of the measures introduced under the Tinubu administration have exacerbated the challenges faced by citizens, particularly the removal of petrol subsidies, which resulted in a significant increase in fuel prices. Nonetheless, the president has consistently reassured Nigerians that better days lie ahead, likening the present difficulties to the pains of childbirth.

During a press conference held in Ilọrin, Kwara State, NASU’s General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, emphasized the urgency of finding immediate solutions to the prevailing hardships. Adeyemi urged the revival of Nigerian oil refineries to ensure domestic production of what citizens consume. He also called for an investigation into the funds allocated for refinery repairs in the country and heightened security measures to prevent the smuggling of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to neighboring nations.

In summary, NASU acknowledges the good intentions and policies of the government but stresses that these alone are insufficient to address the immediate needs of the masses.”

“Nigerians, and our members are dying; we implore President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s govern­ment to kick start the harmoni­sation of all his policies that will positively rub off and address the effect of the present hard­ship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy. It is funny that the government will go ahead and re­move fuel subsidy without plan­ning an appropriate economic solution.”

“He observed that President Tinubu’s commemoration of his first 100 days in office was replete with promises amidst the ongoing hardships faced by Nigerians. Adeyemi emphasized the necessity of implementing mechanisms to adjust salaries in line with the current cost of living.

He appealed to the president to promptly settle the outstanding backlog of their four months’ arrears, citing the persistent challenges posed by the IPPIS payment platform, which had taken nearly two years to resolve some of its issues. He noted ongoing delays in third-party deduction payments, irregular salary disbursements, failure to pay increments as scheduled, and the omission of certain allowances that were initially negotiated for their entitled members.

Adeyemi pointed out that the UTAS system, designed to address these issues effectively, had proven its reliability and competence, yet the government hesitated to adopt it, showing a lack of resolve to rectify these irregularities.

He asserted that the government’s nonchalant attitude towards honoring Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Memorandums of Agreements (MoAs), coupled with the failure to compensate them for the duration of these agreements, could not compel them to resort to strikes.

In a related context, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, acknowledged that tertiary education faced challenging times. He urged the various unions to collaborate and unite in advancing the education system, highlighting that addressing the issues confronting education was vital for a country’s development.”

HHe called upon the union to engage in a comprehensive discussion regarding the challenges related to education accessibility and university autonomy.

“Financial concerns, curriculum development, and the issue of professionals leaving the country, commonly known as the ‘Japa syndrome,’ should all be given serious consideration. The increasing departure of staff abroad has created a growing difficulty in finding suitable replacements. It’s important to recognize that the state of Nigeria’s tertiary education is intimately tied to the overall economic situation, as no nation can make substantial progress without adequately developing its education sector,” he emphasized.

Mrs. Roseline Adebayo, the Chairperson of the Kwara State Chapter of NASU, noted that the recent removal of petrol subsidies in the midst of high inflation had led to price increases for various other commodities in the market. She argued that this increase had essentially nullified the benefits of the New Minimum Wage approved during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Adebayo described this precarious situation as a significant threat that could have disrupted the delegates’ proceedings, potentially leading to a call from the national secretariat for the extension of the tenure of officers at all levels within the union during this critical period.

She underscored the vital role of the Universities and Inter-Universities Trade Group in NASU’s operations, emphasizing that leaders should not handle matters related to this trade group lightly.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Suberu Ibrahim, the Chairman of the Unilorin Branch, praised members for their unwavering perseverance, diligence, and sacrifices. He also expressed gratitude for the support provided to his executive. He encouraged members to adopt a proactive and pragmatic approach to ensure that NASU achieves its ambitious goals and objectives without compromising its longstanding achievements and reputation.