The Nigerian Minister of Labour and Employment, Hon. Chris Nigige has revealed plans to compensate the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU).
The minister noted that the federal government cannot settle or meet the needs of the striking lecturers, as he proposed partnering with his counterpart, Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed Shamsuna, to address the issue.
Recall that on Monday, February 14, 2022, ASSU embarked on a one-month warning strike to challenge the federal government as it fails to meet its demand.
Following the ASSU strike, Ngige set up a meeting with the union to discuss the situation.
Despite ASUU’s insistence that the strike would not be called off, Ngige stated that the majority of the union’s demands were being implemented.
While addressing journalists, Ngige argued that the government had no money to compensate ASSU for the strike’s end, but the finance minister would look into how to pay the professors’ deserved allowances.
However, to their demands, “Only one or two aspects are new to us.” The renegotiation of service conditions, known as the 2009 agreement, is one of the new areas. In 2009, they agreed that their service terms would be reviewed every five years. In 2014, it was done.
A new team has been constituted to have a second look at that document to make sure that some of the allowances are not against the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission’s fixed rates.
The government will not accept allowances that are not compliant with the NSIWC rates. As a result, they must get it right from the start so that whatever the committee proposes can be approved by the Federal Executive Council.
He said the meeting ordered a combined committee of ASUU, the National Universities Commission, and the National Information Technology Development Agency to undertake an integrity test on the platform with the help of neutral experts.
“We urged them to finish the test by March 8,” Ngige continued. We’re supposed to start working on it in six weeks if they conclude.
If the Federal Government is in arrears on any tranche after the reconciliation, the finance minister will seek money to pay, even if the Federal Government does not have money.
An “earned allowance” is a stipend for the excessive workload. It was paid last year based on the rule of thumb theory of 10% of total personnel costs. This year, we directed the NUC to form a committee and submit a figure to the Finance Minister within the next three weeks.
From my perspective, I believe we are on track; ASUU should go to the members and show them offers made by the government for them to call off the strike.
