The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has reacted to reports that the Nigerian government has increased salary of lecturers by 35 percent.
In a letter addressed to staff of tertiary institutions in the country, the federal government agreed to pay lecturers arrears from January 2023 till date while also raising salaries for academic and non-academic staff of all its tertiary institutions across the country to 25 per cent.
The circular waa issued by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation regarding the increment.
But ASUU said it has not been informed of any pay rise given lecturers in federal institutions by the federal government.
The National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, stated this in an interview on Friday.
“We have not been informed of such a development and when we are officially notified, we are going to react,” he told our correspondent on phone.
However, the National President of the Congress of University Academics, CONUA, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, said he was aware of the circular.
He added that the pay rise was not enough, but that his union would not reject it.
“In fact that circular ought to have taken effect many months ago. We met the then Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, over the matter. The thinking then was that the circular would be made public last March and the effective date of its effectiveness would be as from January this year and the arrears paid.
“What they are offering is not enough but we are not rejecting it. However, this is to be taken different from the general upward review of salaries of public workers in view of the current economic crunch in the country,” he said.
Recall that the FG had earlier opposed 25% pay rise for lecturers, when it raised that of professors by 35%.
However, in a Circular No: OAuGF/ SW/C/QP/1395/VOL.1/11, dated September 21, 2023, issued by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation to universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, the Auditor General said the implementation was approved by the Presidential Committee on Salaries at its 13th meeting.
