Mr Peters Adeyemi, the General Secretary, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) on Friday said unionism should be used to raise funds through businesses to support members.
Adeyemi said this on the sidelines of the inauguration of NASU, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) branch secretariat in Ilorin.
Adeyemi said that unionism had now gone beyond collective bargaining into small scale ventures.
According to him, unionism now entails venturing into financial generation through businesses that will in the long term support the members.
Adeyemi said UNILORIN was doing modern unionism, which went beyond collective bargaining to involve initiatives like building secretariat for members, establishing of small scale ventures and planning to build hostel for students.
He described the UNILORIN branch of NASU as “very loyal pace setter and greatly rated’’ among NASU chapters in the country.
Adeyemi lamented the delay in paying the minimum wage arrears and the sharing formula of the recently approved N22, 127 billion Earned Allowances for the four universities-based unions.
He frowned at the injustice involved in the sharing formula, “where ASUU is to take 75 per cent and other unions 25 per cent.’’
He, however, said that there was cordial relation between NASU and ASUU, saying both unions were working for the benefit and upliftment of their respective members.
Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, the Vice-Chancellor of the UNILORIN said the institution was the only university in the country that did not cancel academic calendar due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Abdulkareem, represented by Prof. Olanrewaju Adedoyin, the Provost, College of Health Sciences of the university, attributed this stride to the cooperation between management and various unions in the school.
He commended the union for being partners in progress and commended NASU for prioritising the welfare of members.
The vice-chancellor also commended the union for being prudent in the management of its resources.
Mr Ibrahim Zubair, the Chairman of UNILORIN chapter of NASU, said the new secretariat complex with four offices, a relaxation room, a mini hall, eight shops and a restaurant cost N28 million.
Zubair said that NASU executive under his watch had secured land to embark on hostel building with four blocks of 152 rooms.
Presenting his paper, Mr Moses Opaleke, the Pension Desk Officer of the school, encouraged Nigerians still in active service to ensure they constantly updated their records service.
His paper is entitled: “An overview of Pension Reform Act 2014, Challenges and Prospects”.
“They must ensure that all their information tally to avoid serious problem after retirement. (NAN)
