The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), western zone, has threatened to embark on strike in a week's time if the Federal Govern ment failed to accede to its demand for the implementation of the 2009 Fed eral Government/SSANU agreement. The union gave this in dication yesterday during its third weekly rally to compel the Federal Gov ernment to honour the said agreement. The union, in the agreement signed in 2009, asked for the payment of backlog of its allowances and approval of 65 years as retirement age for its members.

The union's National Vice President, Mr. Alfred Jimoh, who addressed journalists during the rally, lamented the insen sitivity of the Federal Government to the plight of the association.

He said the weekly rally would continue till May 9, when the next line of action would be de termined at the congress holding in Ilorin, Kwara State.

He further explained: "We are conscious of the fact that strike and violence are not the best alternatives to pressing home demands.

It is sad, however, that violence is the only language that our leaders understand the most."This rally is about the non compliance with our 2009 FGN/SSANU agree ment. Specifically, we are talking about an aspect of the agreement that is cre ating tension among our members.

This has to do with the non implementation of the part that deals with responsibility allow ance, call/shift duty, over time work and tour allow ances, field trip, among others." He said the allowances in question were to be paid both by the govern ment and the Governing Council of the respective universities.

Jimoh recalled that the union suspended the strike earlier scheduled to hold in January as a result of the fuel subsidy protest.