The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Federal Government, (FG’s) 23.5 Percent Salary Increase Offer, in a disclosure by Adamu Adamu, Nigeria’s minister in charge of education.
Earlier: FG Announced 23.5 Percent Salary Increase
The Federal Government (FG) of Nigeria has announced a 23.5% salary increment for lecturers as the strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) enters the eighth month.
Adamu Adamu, the minister of education, stated on Tuesday that the government could only afford to increase lecturers’ pay by 23.5%, while professors will receive a 35% raise.
“The Federal Government can only afford a 23.5% salary increase for all category of the workforce in Federal Universities, except for the professorial cadre which will enjoy a 35% 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.
“That a sum of 150 billion Naira shall be provided for in the 2023 Budget as funds for the revitalization of Federal Universities, to be disbursed to the Institutions in the First Quarter of the year, and that a sum of 50 billion Naira shall be provided for in the 2023 Budget for the payment of outstanding areas of earned academic allowances, to be paid in the First Quarter of the year.”
The minister also mentioned that Major General Muhammadu Buhari, the President, had issued a warning against entering into agreements that the government would not be able to fulfill.
During the discussion with vice chancellors and other university system stakeholders, Adamu made this disclosure.
The National Open University of Nigeria’s provost, Professor Peter Okebukola, commented at the conclusion of the meeting that the government was prepared to take extreme measures to guarantee that the university instructors returned to their places of employment.
23.5 Percent FG’s Salary Increase Offer Rejected by ASUU
Minister Adamu stated that the offer was rejected by ASUU and three other university unions who had been on strike because they felt it was “inadequate to fulfill their various requests needed to handle the difficulties facing the university sector.”
The union wants salaries to increase by more than 100%, an ASUU insider claims.
After additional negotiations with the government, other unions, including NASU, SSANU, and NAAT, suspended their industrial action. In contrast, ASUU extended its strike indefinitely.
“We have done the best that we can in the circumstance,” the Minister stated.
