The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities(SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions(NASU) at the Nigerian French Language Village, Badagry, has decried exclusion from the N50 billion earned allowance.

They expressed displeasure in a statement by Mr Wahab Hammed, SSANU Chairman, and Mrs Ngozi Aminu, NASU Branch Chairman of the institution.

Federal Government recently released N50 billion as earned allowances to Nigerian universities.

The allowance is to be shared among university-based unions, including ASUU, SSANU, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

The JAC of NASU/SSANU at NFLV said the inter-university centres have been excluded from earned allowance payments since 2013 without justification.

They recalled that some centres were previously paid, only for payments to suddenly stop without any formal explanation or notice.

In 2022, the unions met with then Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who confirmed payment evidence and templates for inter-university centres.

Following this, the centres were reinstated and allowed to benefit from earned allowances under the 2009 FGN/SSANU/NASU Agreement.

A circular dated April 2 was sent to Vice-Chancellors and Directors of Inter-centres and Agricultural Colleges by the Federal Government.

The circular requested institutions to prepare earned allowance templates and submit nominal rolls for their staff members.

This development led the centres to believe they were included in the new round of earned allowance payments.

The unions are puzzled why the inter-university centre, established since 1991, was excluded while the Agricultural Colleges were included.

They urged the Minister of Education to intervene and direct the NUC executive secretary and Accountant General to release the payments immediately.