By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (SSANU), Taraba State University (TSU), Jalingo, has asked the Governing Council and management of the institution to put on hold the 2024/2025 appraisal exercise for senior administrative and technical staff until the union’s observations, positions, and recommendations are considered.
Comrade Bitrus Joseph Ajibauka, SSANU branch chairman, disclosed the union’s position in a press statement issued on Wednesday in Jalingo.
According to Ajibauka, SSANU-TSU was denied membership and representation on the committee for the review of the Conditions of Service and the Guidelines for Appointments, Appraisal and Promotion of Senior Administrative and Technical Staff.
“The SSANU Taraba State University branch, at its 24th regular congress meeting held on January 28, 2026, resolved that the 2024/2025 appraisal exercise for senior administrative and technical staff, which is long overdue, be put on hold until our observations, positions, and recommendations are considered in the interest of industrial harmony and the growth of the university.
“SSANU-TSU was denied membership and representation on the committee for the review of the Conditions of Service and the Guidelines for Appointments, Appraisal and Promotion of Senior Administrative and Technical Staff.
“Our submissions of July 8 and September 15, 2025, were not properly attended to as required. The inclusion of CONTISS 12, which has been abolished in the university’s career progression structure for professionals, and the eight-year time-in-rank requirement, subject to vacancy, for progression from CONTISS 14 to 15, among other related issues, are not acceptable,” the union insisted.
SSANU also expressed dissatisfaction with the state government and the university management over the failure to meet its outstanding demands.
“During the meeting, we carefully reviewed our struggles regarding the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed at the tripartite meeting between the Ministry of Tertiary Education, the university management, and the union on January 25, 2025, as well as subsequent reminders. We expressed dissatisfaction with the state government and the university management over the failure to meet our outstanding demands.
“The outstanding salaries and allowances, including the non-payment of arrears as agreed, have affected our members and their families badly.
“We demand the immediate settlement of the unpaid full salaries for September 2022 and October 2022; the withheld 28 percent of June 2022 salary balance; the withheld 51 percent of November 2022 salary balance; the withheld 44 percent of December 2022 salary balance; and the Earned Administrative Allowances (EAA).
“The remaining 87.1 percent of the total accumulated sum of AEE should also be paid without further delay,” the statement continued.
Comrade Ajibauka, on behalf of the union, lamented that retired SSANU-TSU members and the families of deceased co-workers were suffering due to lack of pension after faithfully serving the university.
“It is disheartening that our retired SSANU-TSU members and the families of our deceased co-workers are suffering due to lack of pension after serving the university faithfully. We call on the Taraba State Government and the university management to speed up the implementation of the state-defined pension scheme to save the lives of our members who are gradually dying after a successful retirement from service at the state university,” the union lamented.
SSANU-TSU called on the Taraba State Government and the university management to settle all outstanding issues to avert the resumption of the total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike action that was suspended on January 26, 2025.
“SSANU-TSU Jalingo Branch also appeals to the Federal Government to speed up action on the pending renegotiation of the 2009 agreement with SSANU to ensure equity among university-based unions and avert a breakdown of industrial harmony.
“Congress-in-session unanimously resolved to appeal to the Taraba State Government and the university management to settle all outstanding issues to avert the resumption of the total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike action that was suspended on January 26, 2025,” the statement read.
