FG Pays 34 Billion Minimum Wage Arrears to Lecturers Against ASSU Strike
To end the tertiary education strike in Nigeria, the Federal Government has made known its strategy to pay 34 billion minimum wage consequential adjustment to the education system workers with effect from 2019 on Tuesday, 24th May 2022.
Sen. Chris Ngige, the minister of labour and employment revealed this while talking with the press about the ongoing agreement with the Lecturers.
He stated that, those who would benefit from the minimum wage consequential adjustment include the striking members of ASSU, ASSUP, and Colleges of Education.
Ngige also stated that, N23.5 billion will be given to the University, N6 billion to the polytechnics and N4 billion to the Colleges of Education bringing it all to N33.5 billion.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he also revealed that committees have been prepared at the last meeting on the basis of the minimum wages and an outcome is to be expected soon.
” The committees are doing their job,the one appointed to NITDA is working on three platforms, the government Integrated Personnel and payroll Information System (IPPS), the University Transparency Association Solution (UTAS) of ASSU and the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System (UPPPS) of the non teaching staff.”
“They have started working last Thursday. The National Salaries, Wages and Incomes Commission (NSWIC) has given their amendment circular.”
” The union also has documents to take care of responsibility and risks allowances where it is not thoroughly recorded.
“There might probably be wage adjustment as the Federal Government has increased efforts to organize the wages through the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC).” He assured.
He said “For example, we have concluded for the police. it wasn’t imagined that it would be done in pockets, but you can witness that we have concluded with the police.”
“You can also witness that the University Lecturers are asking that their own should be concluded immediately since we have concluded for the police. Something is being done as this was part of their Agreement with Federal Government.”
“So Prof. Briggs committee is working on it, speaking with the University unions and their employer, the Federal Ministry of Education. The Federal Government is waiting for the outcome so we can do something.” He joined.
The doctors are also complaining of brain drain.Their risks allowance had to be added and it was added by close to 300%.
“From N5, 000 paid across committee for each person, the least person in the health sector is getting N15, 000, while the big ones are getting N45, 000. So, that is the quantum leap.’’
Ngige pleaded with ASUU and other striking unions in Nigeria public universities to think about the effect of their actions and call off the industrial action.