The Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes, and Allied Institutions has called on the Federal Government to expedite payment of all outstanding arrears owed to staff across affected Institutions, describing members' welfare and conditions of service as very poor.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its sectoral council meeting and signed by Chairman Baba Muhammed and Secretary Ademola Olajire, the association listed the unpaid entitlements to include wage awards approved to cushion inflation and rising living costs, promotion arrears for staff whose advancements have not been monetised, the 2009 53.7% salary increase arrears, and the 2003 CONHESS/CONMESS 25% and 35% adjustment arrears owed to staff of research institutes.

According to the group, the continued non payment of these arrears has created financial strain for members who have waited years for entitlements already approved by the government. It argued that the delay contradicted official commitments to workers' welfare and undermined morale in Institutions driving research, healthcare delivery, and Tertiary education across the country.

The association also raised concerns over the fluctuating and inconsistent taxation of federal workers, noting that unstable tax policies had led to varying monthly deductions that increased the financial burden on staff already battling inflation. It said constant changes in tax rates and PAYE deductions had made financial planning difficult, leaving many workers taking home less than expected despite stagnant salaries while the cost of goods and services continued to climb. The council urged the federal government to review and reduce tax rates to provide relief for workers.

On the broader economy, the group expressed concern that inflation had outpaced salary adjustments, leaving federal workers unable to meet basic needs such as food, transportation, healthcare, and education for their families. It called for a comprehensive review of current economic policies to alleviate hardship and restore the value of workers' earnings.

The association further raised the persistent failure of the National Housing Fund to promptly remit staff contributions upon retirement, noting that many retired members were still waiting to access their NHF savings despite years of contributions. It described the delay as a violation of workers' rights, causing undue hardship for retirees who depend on those funds for housing, medical care, and post service sustenance, and urged the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and other agencies managing the NHF to streamline the refund process without further delay.

The association maintained that prompt payment of arrears, stable tax policy, and efficient NHF remittance were critical to industrial harmony in universities, teaching hospitals, and research institutes, warning that failure to address these issues could affect productivity and morale among senior staff central to national development.