Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
The Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has lamented the non review of staff salary after the last exercise that took place 15 years ago, saying, such and other inactions of government may push it to embark on industrial action.
It expressed its displeasure while addressing Journalists on what it tagged :On the unresolved issues between federal government and ASUU: Government is begging ASUU to go on strike” in Benin City.
Speaking for the union, the Zonal coordinator, Benin Zone of ASUU, Prof. Monday Igbafen said government at all levels are busy reviewing other workers salary while leaving the lecturers salaries the same way it was since when the value of naira to a dollar was N120.
“University teachers in Nigeria have been on the same salary regime since 2009 when the value of naira to a dollar was N120, and when salaries in other sectors have been reviewed twice or more.
“It is better imagined to note that what a Professor at bar earns in today’s Nigeria is about $400 per month which is a scandalous under-valuation of scholars.
“To continue to remain on the same salary regime for 15 years without review is not only wicked and inhuman but also an invitation to resistance/industrial disharmony”, Igbafen said.
Prof. Igbafen, while listing the union’s demands which the federal government has refused to meet, said they have been push to the wall, and may likely embark on industrial action.
“Having been irked by the obvious lack of sincerity on the part of federal and state governments to address the issues which have worsened the living and working conditions of academic staff in the public universities, it is sad to note that barely a month after our engagement with the press in DELSU, there is refusal and/or total neglect of our union’s demands and ultimatum by the government, i.e. the government completely turned deaf ears to the contending issues.
“This disposition of government is certainly not a good recipe to the impending paralysis in Nigeria’s public universities.
“It is imperative to point out that the nagging issues between the government and our union in reference revolves round the abysmal failure by the government to satisfactorily implement the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement.
“The resulting issues have been the source of the seemingly unending confrontation between us as a union and the government.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the issues include the stalled renegotiation of 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement; funding for the revitalization of public universities based on the FGN-ASUU MoU of 2021, 2013, and the MoA of 2017; the illegal dissolution of Governing Councils in federal and state universities; withheld salaries in federal and state universities; unpaid salaries of staff on sabbatical, adjunct, etc. due to IPPIS; the non-release of third-party deductions; non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances (EAA); proliferation of public universities; non-implementation of the reports of Visitation Panels and the refusal to adopt UTAS in place of IPPIS.
“Gentlemen of the Press, it is not only sad but also provocative to note that the government as we speak is not moved by the several clarion calls and efforts by our union to get it to attend to these issues.
“By its action to ignore the union on these contending issues, the government is begging our union to proceed on strike”, Igbafen added.
He also condemned the illegal dissolution of the governing councils of public universities in the country, as well as the refusal or neglect by some state governments to constitute governing councils for their universities.