The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said it is yet to come up with any definite position on the recent announcement credited to the Federal Government to have increased the salaries of lecturers in the universities and other tertiary institutions in the country.
The union said it had not received, up till now, any official circular from the Federal Government or any of its agencies regarding salary adjustment and, therefore, considers it unnecessary to review such an announcement let alone take position on it.
National president of the union, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this in an interview with Nigerian Tribune.
A circular released by the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, entitled ‘Circular No: OAuGF/ SW/C/QP/1395/VOL.1/11’ and dated September 21, 2023, stated that the Federal Government had increased salaries of professors in the public tertiary institutions by 35 percent and others by 25 percent and that the Presidential Committee on Salaries had also approved the implementations at its 13th meeting.
However, the ASUU boss said, “We only read the announcement on the internet and ASUU cannot review such mere information, let alone take position on it.”
He explained that ASUU negotiated with the Federal Government and they both agreed on certain issues, including the upward review of salaries and that was not the content of the agreement.
He added that “it behooves the Federal Government to communicate directly to ASUU on any development that emanates from any of their agreements.”
He said if the salary adjustment happened to be for every government worker in the country such as the one bordering on minimum wage, among others, ASUU might not have a contrary view on such.
He insisted that “the Federal Government or its agency that is responsible for issuing such a circular is supposed to write to the universities and copy ASUU. “As it is, nothing near such was done. It is until we see the circular and have a discussion over it as a union, that we can take a position on it. So, it means we’re not aware of any salary increment. Therefore, we are yet to take a position.” When asked to mention specifically what are the demands of ASUU, he said “It is clearly stated in the agreement document with the government and we shall definitely react when we’re communicated.”
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