ASUU strike: FG considering upward review of lecturers’ salaries – Education Minister
Federal Government is considering an upward review of the salary of tertiary institutions’ lecturers to 23.5 per cent, according to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.
This is just as the minister further disclosed that salaries of professors would also be reviewed by 35 per cent.
Adamu disclosed this while presenting a position paper during a meeting between the Federal Government, Vice-Chancellors and Pro-Chancellors of Nigerian public universities, in Abuja, Tuesday.
On the ongoing industrial action by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the minister said the four university-based unions, had addressed separate letters to the Chairman of the Government Re-negotiating Team rejecting government’s offer, which, according to the minister, they described it as inadequate to meet their respective demands.
The minister disclosed that he met the unions to explain the prevailing economic situation limiting the ability of government to accede to all their demands.
While the other three unions including; the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), have since suspended their nationwide strike, only ASUU remains.
The insistence on the of ‘no-work-no-pay’ rule by Federal Government has stalled negotiations as ASUU wants it rested for academic activities to resume at public universities.
ASUU is demanding; the Signing of June 2022 agreement; Adoption of UTAS as salary payment platform; N170 billion for NEEDS; N50 billion for arrears; White Papers from visitation panels; Intervention on the Draft Bill; as well as; Payment of salaries since March 2022.
According to Adamu, President Muhammadu Buhari had warned against signing agreements which the government would not be able to meet.
“The Federal Government can only afford a 23.5 per cent salary increase for all category of the workforce in federal universities, except for the professorial cadre which will enjoy a 35 per cent upward review.
“Henceforth, allowances that pertain to ad-hoc duties of the academic and non-academic staff shall be paid as at when due by the Governing Councils of universities to which such services are rendered and to the staff who perform them.
“A sum of N150 billion shall be provided for in the 2023 budget as funds for the revitalisation of federal universities, to be disbursed to the institutions in the first quarter of the year.
“Also a sum of N50 billion shall be provided for in the 2023 Budget for the payment of outstanding arrears of earned academic allowances, to be paid in the first quarter of 2023,” the minister said.
Penultimate week, the Federal Government announced the implementation of the UTAS system as payment platform for lecturers’ salaries.
