By Davies Iheamnachor
Senior Staff Association of Nigeria University, SSANU, have urged the Rivers State Government to pay their eight year’s salaries owed them.
The protesters, who are senior staff members from three state owned universities, Rivers State University, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education and Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, claimed neglect by the former administration.
It would be recalled that the protesters are members of SSANU who were disengaged from work by the previous administration of Chief Nyesom Wike, upon assumption of office.
The embattled workers made the appeal during a peaceful demonstration and Solidarity visit to the governor of the state, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Speaking, the South South Vice President of SSANU, Comrade Azuma Ugochukwu, appealled to Governor Fubara to pay their eight years backlog of salaries and arrears.
Ugochukwu, who represented the SSANU President, said the union supports governor Fubara’s administration and are confident that it would listen to the yearnings of the teachers who have been compelled to undergo a very harrowing experiences due to the no-payment of the entitlements by the immediate past administration.
He said: “We are here to congratulate the governor of Rivers State on his Supreme Court victory. We members of SANNU and all senior staff members of Nigerian universities are in support of his government.
“We want to reassure him that we are loyal to his government. We will continue to parya and encourage him.
“We are also here to appeal to him that in our midst here we have members of the Demonstration School in Ignatius Ajuru University, Rivers State University, and Ken Poly. These persons have not been paid their salaries for over eight years now.
“We know that our able governor has been put in place by God so that he can right the wrong. We are confident that he will use his good office to address the challenges of our members by paying them their salaries and it backlog. We are convinced he will do it because that is why God brought him at this time in the state.”