UNN Security Guards Lament FG’s ‘No-Work, No-Pay’ Policy

Some security personnel of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Wednesday, lamented no-work, no-pay policy of the federal government as a result of the ongoing strike by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU.

The union, just like their counterparts, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, had embarked on strike from April this year to press home their demand for improved welfare.

However, while members of NASU and ASUU are on strike, security operatives of the universities are not.

Two of them spoke to THE WHISTLER on condition of anonymity. The first one said, “Sincerely speaking, it is terrible. We come to work on a daily basis, while our salaries are not being paid. Some of us can’t even maintain our various means of transportation any longer.

“I am also a farmer. But I rely on my salary to buy fees for the pigs I rear.”

The second person said, “At times, I regret being a guard. We are obligatorily not allowed to embark on strikes under any circumstances. But our welfare is not catered for.

“We are being owed many allowances. This ongoing strike has worsened our situation because we are not being paid, and we are forced to perform our statutory duties.

“When Prof Ginigeme Mbanefo was the VC, we were given stipends as transport allowances. We have approached the office of the vice chancellor over this matter. They keep telling us that they are working on it.

“I have sold many of my belongings to feed my family. If we are not working daily, the cost of living would have reduced.”

Our correspondent gathered that the university’s security personnel work six days in a week. They are over 2, 000 spread across Nsukka and Enugu campuses of the UNN. They are being owed salaries from April this year.

Efforts to get the version of the management of the university failed as they are on strike.