Nigerian govt to pay ASUU, polytechnic lecturers, others N34bn minimum wage arrears

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said on Tuesday the Federal Government would spend about N34 billion as arrears of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustments in the education sector.

Ngige stated this while addressing journalists on the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and others in Abuja.

He said the beneficiaries of the Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustments included the members of the ASUU and their counterparts in the polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

The minister added that the universities would get N23.5 billion, the polytechnics N6 billion and the Colleges of Education N4 billion, bringing the total sum to N33.5 billion.

The move, according to him, was aimed at resolving the lingering crisis in the sector.

He said committees were set up during the last tripartite meeting between the government and the unions on the dispute.

READ ALSO: ASUU demands Emefiele’s sack amid political ambition, declining naira value

ASUU and other unions in the nation’s tertiary institutions embarked on strike in a bid to force the federal government to honour the agreements signed by all parties.

Ngige said: “Those committees are working. The one on NITDA is testing the three platforms, the government’s Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

“Also, the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) of ASUU and the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (UPPPS) of the non-teaching staff.

“They have started the testing last Thursday. The National Salaries, Wages and Incomes Commission (NSWIC) has issued its amendment circulars.

“The unions also have copies to take care of responsibility and hazard allowances wherever it has not been properly captured.’’

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now