Connect with us

News

40% Pay Rise: Crisis Looms In Varsities Over Exclusion Of Workers

Published

on

There are indications that unions in the university may rise up against the Federal Government over the alleged exclusion of their members in the 40 per cent pay rise for peculiar allowance and arrears.

The Federal Government has recently commenced payment of the approved 40 percent increase for civil servants in the federal ministries, agencies and departments under the Consolidated Public Salary Structure.

But workers in the university sector have kicked against their exclusion, describing the action of the government as a recipe for crisis.

Advertisement

But the Federal Government has said that there is no cause for alarm as the university workers are captured in the pay rise.

The government also said that it was waiting for the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU to conclude its negotiation on the Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA, on the condition of service with its employer, the Ministry of Education so that it would be transmitted to the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.

READ ALSO: Nurses, Midwives Lament Exclusion From 40 Percent Pay Rise For Workers

Advertisement

Speaking to Vanguard on Monday, the President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, said that the idea of denying university workers the salary increment is an invitation to crisis in the university sector..

Comrade Ibrahim accused the government of abandoning the agreement it entered into with the university unions, alleging that the N50 billion Earned Allowances the government promised to include in the 2023 budget has not seen the light of the day as workers were yet to receive any payment on that.

According to him, “This idea of denying university workers the salary increment is only a recipe for crisis in the education sector. Because government had promised two years ago that they were going to review the salaries putting in the re-negotiation committee and re-negotiations never got concluded.

Advertisement

“We have even lost the chairman of the re-negotiation committee. In the last one year we have not heard anything from the government and it is like everything has been halted.

“So if they were people who know what they want and I truly they were interested in developing the manpower of this country and having interest in the education sector, they should have considered making reality those promises they have made.

“There Is this N50 billion Earned Allowances which they said that have put in the 2023 budget, it has not seem the light of the day. There is a proposal for salary increment which they made and which has not also seen the light of the day.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Joy As FG Begins Payment Of 40% Salary Rise Arrears

“And now from nowhere we just heard that 40 per cent perculiar allowance has been given to the core civil servants, we are not averse to making lives of civil servants better by giving them any allowance but that the services being offered by the university workers. There won’t be any good civil servant, there won’t be any productive civil servants if the universities are not productive, if the university staff are not properly renumerated because you will be churning out half baked graduates and nobody will have any interest in employing any Nigerian graduate again.

“So the idea of excluding university workers from this salary enhancement is a recipe for disaster in the education sector. This is my position as SSANU President.

Advertisement

“And I want to call in the government to immediately without much delay release the N50 billion Earned Allowances and also implement the salary increment which we have been talking with them in the last two years.

“Meanwhile our organs will meet and take the necessary actions. I mean we will take the decisions that will be comnunicated to the public. But we are not happy with the government, we are not happy at all with the way they are handling the affairs of the university workers..”

However, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said that the university workers were not excluded in the pay rise, explaining that the delay in paying them was due to the inability of ASUU to conclude negotiations with its employer.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Fuel Subsidy: FG Begins 40% Pay Rise For Workers April Ending

He said, “Because they (ASUU) have not concluded their Collective Bargaining with their employers, the ministry of Education. If you remember there was the Prof. (Nimi) Briggs Comnittee and that Briggs Committee reached conclusion with NAAT, SSANU and NASU.

“But there were certain observations made on the conclusion they reached with because ASUU never came for them to reach any conclusion with them. So, there were certain observations that were pointed out to education. So they will now go back to education and revalidate a new CBA and transmit immediately to salaries, income and wages. And salaries, income and wages will work on it urgently as a new CBA for condition of service and transmit to the presidential committee on salaries. We expect all this will be done within the next fortnight.”

Advertisement

Asked whether the commencement date to pay the 40 per cent pay rise for University workers will also be January, he responded in the affirmative.

He said, “It will commence from January because it has been captured in the 2023 budget with the present national assembly. The same will go with ASUU whenever they come back to education and accept whatever education has offered them, it will also go to salaries, income and wages commission for transmission to the presidential committee on salaries, that’s the route.

“So these other people that got their 40 per cent have been negotiating since two years or more. The Association of Senior Civil Servants, the National Civil Service Union and other related joint negotiating councils of those people, they have been negotiating. So, the 40 per cent they got took into account that they have not been having any increases with allowances before. So, it was all that the national salaries, income and wages calculated and aggregated it to 40 per cent as a peculiar allowance.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: 2023 Census: Adhoc Staff Protest Non-payment Of Allowances

“Mark you, it is not only on salaries, it also includes their allowances. It is the entire wage structure, component of their wage, monthly wage, and annual wage that have been computed into that. Same is being done for NASU, SSANU and others.

“This time around we except CONUA and NAMDA to go into CBA for their own members”

Advertisement

On the complaint by SSANU that the N50 billion Earned Allowances, captured in the i2023 has not been released to them, he said: “This is what I am telling you. Even their condition of service review and everything have been captured in the 2023 budget. Not only them, the educational sector including ASUU and their allowances. These allowances are even being doubled

“There is no promise to SSANU separately, we are dealing with University unions comprehensively. It is combined. The money is more than N50 billion dedicated to the education sector. Everything has its own components, it’s more than N50 billion. For the educational sector including the Polytechnics and everybody, I think it is up to N350 billion captured in 2023 budget.”

Asked why the the money has not been released yet, Senator Ngige said, “You do one line one step. This is a fall-out of an industrial action, so we are tidying it up now starting with their condition of service of which their wage is first thing first. So it is when you do your wages that you now do extra allowances.”

Advertisement

News

Tinubu Unveils Plan To Restart Oil Production In Ogoniland

Published

on

President Bola Tinubu has moved to restart oil production in Ogoniland in Rivers State.

The president disclosed this on Wednesday when he conferred posthumous national honours of Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON, on the late Ogoni four; Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, and Samuel Orage.

Conferring the honours at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Tinubu urged the Ogoni people to embrace reconciliation and unity after decades of division.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Teacher In Police Net For Tying, Beating Pupil In Bauchi

He assured them of his administration’s support for peace, environmental remediation, and economic revival in the land.

“I am encouraged by the overwhelming consensus of the Ogoni communities to welcome the resumption of oil production.

Advertisement

“The government will deploy every resource to support your people in this march towards shared prosperity,” he said.

READ ALSO:Nigeria Ready, Willing To Host Commonwealth Games — Tinubu

The president directed the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to begin engagements between Ogoni communities, NNPCL, and other stakeholders to finalise modalities for restarting operations.

Advertisement

Earlier in his report, the NSA stated that the consultations engaged all four Ogoni zones and the diaspora, capturing demands for structured participation in oil production, accelerated cleanup, and sustainable development.

Continue Reading

News

Former Oyo Police Commissioner Is Dead

Published

on

A Former Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Abiodun Odude is dead.

The shocking news of his death was shared by the Chairman, Ibadan branch of Government College, GCI Old Boys Association, Akin Orowale on the Association’s platform.

Abiodun Odude, an old boy of GCI, served as Oyo CP between 2017 and 2019.

Advertisement

In the meantime, reactions have continued to trail the death of Odude.

READ ALSO:Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Is Dead

A former Director General, Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA), and GCI OBA stalwart, Dr Yinka Adepoju posted this on platform.

Advertisement

Hmmm, another deep cut in the GCI Old Boys Association and Boys of 71 Set in particular!

“May the Soul of Biodun rest in peace as l pray that the Lord comforts all members of this Great 71Set and his entire family members, ‘Yinka Adepoju @71, 2356# Grierson”

So sad to lose such a personality NOW. But what can we do? Nothing absolutely than to wish him eternal rest and divine consolation to the loved ones left behind, particularly his immediate family and GCIOBA,” another old boy, who is an Ibadan based politician, Mr Adeniyi Adeoti said.

Advertisement

The late Odude served in the Intelligence Department, Zone 2, Lagos State as Deputy Commissioner of Police, CID, Panti, Yaba; he was Commissioner of Police, Administration; Department of Finance and Admin., Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Continue Reading

News

Lagos Govt Gives Computer Village Traders Ultimatum To Relocate To Katangowa

Published

on

The Lagos State Government has given traders at the popular Computer Village in Ikeja an 18-month deadline to move to a new permanent site at Katangowa, in the Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ engagement with market leaders and traders on Tuesday.

According to him, the state government has provided the necessary infrastructure and facilities at the Katangowa site to ensure a conducive business environment once the relocation takes effect.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Lagos Begins Monitoring As Schools Resume

The government wants your cooperation to ensure the relocation comes to pass. The time is now. We have to make the project a reality. The relocation period is 18 months,” Oki said.

He explained that Computer Village currently sits on land originally designated as a residential area, which over time was converted into a bustling commercial hub without formal approval from the government.

Advertisement

Oki also revealed that plans to move traders from Ikeja to Katangowa have been in the works since 2006 but were stalled due to delays in completing the new site.

READ ALSO:Police Reveal Cause Of Death Of Bodies Found On Lagos Riverbank

Emphasizing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to inclusive governance, he noted that the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to carry traders along in the government’s plans.

Advertisement

“The governor is passionate about infrastructure development and the welfare of Lagosians. Katangowa has been designated as the permanent site for this market. It sits on 15 hectares of land, well-planned and strategically located near essential resources for your businesses.

“The present location in Ikeja was never meant to serve as a trading hub. What we are offering at Katangowa is a structured market environment that supports growth while addressing environmental and urban planning concerns. We want to work with you and jointly plan this relocation,” Oki said.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending