The Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) has expressed its appreciation to the Federal Government for granting salary increases of 35 percent and 23.5 percent to tertiary institution staff across the country.
However, the group noted that these increments were approved prior to the removal of fuel subsidies. CONUA stated its intention to engage with the government regarding salary adjustments following the subsidy removal.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by CONUA’s National President, Dr. ‘Niyi Sunmonu, the group referred to a meeting held with former Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige, on May 3, 2023, where various issues affecting the welfare of its members, including salary arrears, were discussed.
The statement read partly, “In the meeting, CONUA delegates lamented the stagnation of salaries and in the response of the immediate past Minister, he said the only offer on the table and which the government is committed to paying is the offer announced by the immediate past Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu announced in September 2022 in the State House.
“CONUA delegates then pressed the immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment to raise that of the non-professorial cadre to 25%. After much discussion on the matter and others, the Minister promised to raise this with relevant organs of government, and that possibly, payment could commence in May 2023.
“While appreciating the government for looking at the direction of academics for this award, we have noticed that this award was done before the removal of subsidy and we will continue to interact with the government on post-subsidy removal increment of academic salaries to meet with the present economic realities.
“Therefore we will continue to engage the government as we advocate for a better salary for lecturers in the Nigerian universities to boost the morale of academics while at the same time reducing the scourge of brain drain from the institutions.”
