Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike MOUAU chapter, has rejected the proposed 35% and 25% salary increase for professors at bar and other cadres of lecturers respectively, saying that it is not commensurate to their sacrifices.
ASUU which accused Government of unilaterally fixing the “misery” wage increase, also accused the Federal Government of non-committal towards resolving the protracted industrial action.
The union said that the proposed increase was nothing to write home about when compared with the N10 million monthly wage being proposed for judges.
“For comparison, this award places the salary of professor at bar, on a level slightly higher than that of a Major, but much lower than that of a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Nigerian Army, while it is infinitesimal, in comparison with the current approved and much publicized monthly salary of N10,000,000.00 for the Chief Judge of the Federation.”
The statement made available to Ikengaonline read in part: “From the foregoing, it is clear the government has not addressed any of the issues for which ASUU embarked on strike including salary.”
“Government promised the sum of N170 billion for Revitalization, then, curiously, shifted this to 2023 Budget, knowing full well, their lame-duck status at that period, and the likelihood that the 2023 budget will come into effect long after they would have left office.
“On this, one would ask, what is wrong for a supplementary budget to take care of this sum?
“The government, despite admitting at various fora, the superiority of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) for the management of university personnel cost, has still not made a specific pronouncement on its adoption for the purpose.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the three payment platforms were tested, including the IPPIS. UTAS came first in two of three test criteria, and second in a third, while the IPPIS came second in one test criterion, and third in two of the three criteria.
“Government also promised to release the Visitation Panel White Paper to the respective Universities between now and next year (2023). By then, it would be more than two years from the commencement of the Visitation exercise. One wonders the true motive of the government in refusing to release the Visitation Panel White Papers.”
“In light of the foregoing, ASUU-MOUAU hereby informs members of the public that government has not addressed any of the issues that informed the strike. Not even one. Not even the issues that have no financial implications like a commitment to adopt UTAS, and the release of the Visitation Panel White Paper to the respective universities.
“Is the reluctance of government to conclusively address these “non-financial” issues not in exhibition of bad faith? The public call by the Minister of Education, for students to take their lecturers to court is a Freudian slip.
“The lack of goodwill by Government to implement the Memorandum of Action since the suspension of the 2020 strike action necessitated the current industrial dispute embarked upon by ASUU on Feb 14.”
ASUU lampooned the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu for asking parents to hold lecturers responsible for the on-going strike.
According to the union, Government, and not ASUU is to blame for the six-months strike.
ASUU however, appealed to members of the public to help prevail on the Federal Government “to rise to its responsibilities and quickly re-commence and conclude the current re-negotiation towards resolving the ASUU strike to enable students return to campuses.”
