By Okerafor Athanasius, Jalingo
Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has expressed dismay over the dilapidated nature of roads linking Taraba State to sister states in North-East Nigeria.
National President, SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim, spoke while delivering an address during the body’s 11th regular Zonal Executive Council (ZEC) meeting held in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital.
Comrade Ibrahim, who called on the Federal Government (FG) and others to wake up to their responsibilities, pointed out that the North-East is not getting its just due as a region.
The SSANU leader revealed that he is “a bonafide indigene of Adamawa State”, which shares boundary with Taraba State and, by extension, hails from the North-East, stressing that he was,thus, justified to speak up on the matter.
On why he came to Jalingo, he explained that he was invited to the meeting in the Taraba State capital by the National Vice President of SSANU, North-East zonal office.
However, he lamented thus: “Coming to Jalingo is one of the most difficult things to do from anywhere because roads linking Jalingo in Taraba State from anywhere are worse than the roads found in Southern Sudan.
“Governments need to wake up; we are not getting what we should get as North-Eastern part of Nigeria.
“Why wouldn’t Taraba and other states in the region have good roads like the one linking Kano and Kaduna? The one linking Abuja and Nasarawa? And the one linking Lagos and Ibadan?”
Wondering why Taraba state is not treated specially, the labour leader added: “Taraba deserves more than this because, outside Benue State, I don’t think that there’s any other state that produces food, feeds the nation, like Taraba.”
Emphasizing that Taraba and other states in the region deserve better roads, Comrade Ibrahim lamented that Nigerians should be treated the same as, according to him, residents of the area pay taxes and contribute to the country’s economic development,like others.
Describing SSANU as the umbrella body of all non-teaching staff working in higher institutions, Comrade Ibrahim said the body has 94 branches, about 50,000 members and has structures in 36 states.
Members’ welfare,he stressed, is the union’s priority just as he charged them to be ambassadors of their homes.
“The students are the most important people. They are our priority, and don’t take yourself as if you are bigger than the university”, he counseled members.
Speaking earlier, National Vice President SSANU, North-East zone, Comrade Alhaji A. Isa lauded the State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas for creating an enabling environment to hold the meeting.
Alhaji Isa further commended the governor for the payment of part of backlog of salaries and allowances of staff of Taraba State University and full implementation of the N70,000 new national minimum wage.
“While we appreciate the efforts of the University management and the state government in sustaining the institution, there are pressing issues that need immediate attention in order to foster a harmonious labour-management relationship.
“These issues include outstanding salaries and allowances”, he said.
