The Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) chapter of the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has decried stagnation in promotion of some of its members.

The Union said some of its members have not been promoted for over 20 years and have remained on the same salary for the aforementioned period.

This was disclosed by the Branch’s Chairman, Comrade Adams Ebuga, during the regular meeting of the University Teaching/Specialist Hospital Trade Group Council and Conferment of Awards, held at JUTH permanent site, in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

“One of the major issue is the stagnation of some of our members, who have been at a particular grade level for over 20 years, no promotion, no demotion.

“Those set of staff keep earning the same salary for 20 years, that is demoralising”, he lamented.

“The hosting of this meeting will expose JUTH to whatever needs they have with management and were not able to address on time.”

Ebuga, who is also a National Trustee of the Union, maintained that the coming of the delegates from the Teaching/Specialist Hospital across the country will make the management consider their demands as genuine.

“We are looking at a situation whereby this meeting will further enhance the rubbing of minds with our national leaders and management of JUTH, to see how such situations would be addressed and eliminated from the system entirely”, he stressed.

Earlier during a courtesy call on the Chief Medical Director of JUTH, the Trade Group Council Secretary of NASU, Comrade Lawrence Okebiran, said, “Our mission for this meeting is to rob minds together, any problem our members have can be brought forward and we can jointly discuss together and proffer solution.

Okebiran maintained that, “NASU is not an antagonistic body, but what it does is, it fights for what rightly belongs to its members, and it’s done diplomatically”.

In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of JUTH, Prof. Edmund Banwat, described NASU as, “a critical stakeholder in ensuring the right thing is done. They are not trouble makers.”

Banwat was represented by the Chairman Medical Advisory Council of JUTH, Dr Pokop Bupwatda, maintaining that constant engagement and understanding between management and the Union will build a harmonious working relationship.

“But when there is breakdown in communication; it breathes suspicion and it makes people start thinking of what is not true.

“And because you didn’t give out information, they are at liberty to concoct their own hypothesis as to why they have not been given certain entitlement of theirs.

“We are a listening management and we will try and listen, and to do what we are supposed to, as the Lord gives us the strength and resources to meet the needs of staff”, he assured.