20 varsities face suit over health workers’ allowance

The Coalition of Healthcare Professionals in Tertiary Education Institutions in Nigeria has threatened legal action against over 20 federal universities over the alleged exclusion of health workers from the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tool Allowance.

The coalition, in a statement on Saturday, stated that it had served pre-action notices on 10 universities, while notices to others, including the University of Ilorin and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, were in transit.

It noted that further notices were being prepared for other institutions.

The affected institutions include the University of Jos, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, University of Calabar, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry, Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Bayero University Kano, and Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike.

Others are Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of Ilorin, David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Federal University Wukari, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Federal University Dutse, and Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State.

The National Chairman of CHPTEIN, Musa Shehu, alleged that health workers, including doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, and pharmacists, were being excluded from CONTTA despite being dues-paying members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union.

Shehu explained that the affected workers were being excluded because they were employed under CONHESS and CONMESS salary structures rather than the CONTISS structure used for other non-teaching staff.

He described the situation as career-cadre discrimination, arguing that 13 other federal universities had resolved the issue by mapping CONHESS and CONMESS grades to their CONTISS equivalents and paying the allowance to their health workers.

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The coalition listed the compliant institutions as the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Federal University Otuoke, Federal University Gashua, Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, University of Port Harcourt, University of Abuja, Federal University Lokoja, Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Kwale, Nigerian Maritime University, and Federal University of Education, Zaria.

According to the coalition, the 20 universities facing potential litigation are expected to comply within 21 days of receiving the notices, failing which affected workers will commence proceedings at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

It stated that the planned suits would seek mandatory injunctions, payment of withheld arrears, interest, damages, and legal costs.

The coalition also accused the national leaderships of SSANU and NASU of failing in their duty to adequately represent affected health workers, adding that it would take legal action against the unions.

It noted that health workers at the University of Jos and University of Calabar had already staged peaceful protests over the issue.

Shehu asserted that the coalition’s legal campaign would continue until the affected universities signed a legally binding settlement agreement and paid the allowance to eligible health workers.