Three staff unions of Sokoto State University (SSU) have commended Governor Ahmad Aliyu for implementing salary increments in line with the agreement with the Federal Government.
The unions—Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT)—issued a statement on Saturday in Sokoto.
Signed by Dr Saidu Abubakar, Mr Ismaila Bala, and Mr Aminu Mika’ilu, the statement urged members to reciprocate the government’s goodwill by rededicating themselves to their duties and enhancing service delivery.
“We appreciate Governor Aliyu for settling our outstanding allowances and ensuring the payment of the N70,000 national minimum wage to all categories of workers in the state. This intervention has significantly contributed to the academic growth and stability of the university,” the unions stated.
They also expressed gratitude for the governor’s continued support in facilitating the accreditation of the university’s programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC), noting that these interventions have bolstered the institution’s academic standards and reputation.
The unions further appealed to the governor to complete the staff housing project, which is at an advanced stage, to enable more staff to reside on campus and foster a conducive learning environment.
The statement acknowledged the university’s achievements, attributing them to the solid foundation laid by its founder, Senator Aliyu Wamakko (APC, Sokoto). They noted that SSU is one of the few universities in Nigeria that commenced academic activities on its permanent site, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.
ASUU’s SSU chapter had in February embarked on a week-long industrial action over the non-implementation of a 25% and 35% salary increase and its consequential adjustment. The unions demanded the payment of salary arrears from January 2024 to February 2025, outstanding Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) for seven academic sessions, and promotion arrears for three sessions. Additional demands included payment of annual increments for five academic sessions, outstanding remittances of union check-off dues, cooperative deductions, and the mainstreaming of EAA.
