Despite increment, CONUA makes another case for payrise for tertiary institution staff

The Federal Government has received commendation from the Congress of Nigerian University Academics, on Tuesday, for providing personnel at the nation’s tertiary institutions with wage increases of 35% and 23.5%.

Nonetheless, the group advocated another pay rise in order to reflect the realities of the staff after the removal of fuel subsidy.

It also emphasised that it will continue to work with the government on salary increases once the fuel subsidy was removed, despite the fact that the rise was made before the subsidy was removed.

In a statement released on Tuesday and signed by Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, the national president of CONUA, the group recalled a conversation that former labour minister Dr. Chris Ngige had with CONUA representatives on May 3, 2023, following a court session.

The statement read partly, “In the meeting, CONUA delegates lamented the stagnation of salaries and in the response of the immediate past Minister, he said the only offer on the table and which the government is committed to paying is the offer announced by the immediate past Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu announced in September 2022 in the State House.

Read Also: ASUU warns of imminent increase in dropouts as varsities increase tuition fees

“CONUA delegates then pressed the immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment to raise that of the non-professorial cadre to 25%. After much discussion on the matter and others, the Minister promised to raise this with relevant organs of government, and that possibly, payment could commence in May 2023.

“While appreciating the government for looking at the direction of academics for this award, we have noticed that this award was done before the removal of subsidy and we will continue to interact with the government on post-subsidy removal increment of academic salaries to meet with the present economic realities.

“Therefore we will continue to engage the government as we advocate for a better salary for lecturers in the Nigerian universities to boost the morale of academics while at the same time reducing the scourge of brain drain from the institutions.”

Earlier, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the implementation of 35 per cent and 23 per cent of salary increment for staff of all federal tertiary institutions.

In a letter dated September 14, and addressed to the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, the Chief Executive Officer of the Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo U. Nta, said the federal government had issued a circular on the implementation of the adjusted salary structure.

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