By Ben Ogbemudia, Linus Aleke, and Joy Moses, Abuja
The Federal Government yesterday bowed to pressure by proposing a 23.5 per cent increase for public university workers, while a 35 per cent increment would be enjoyed by professors if the offer is accepted by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Once again, the Federal Government set up a committee made up of 14 members to look into the grey areas of the demands of ASUU.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, made this disclosure while addressing vice-chancellors and other stakeholders in the university system during a meeting in Abuja.

He said the Federal Government could only afford a 23.5 per cent salary increase for varsity workers, while a 35 per cent increment will be enjoyed by professors.

Adamu also disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari was indisposed to signing agreements that Federal Government will not be able to meet.

He said, “The Federal Government can only afford a 23.5 per cent salary increase for all categories of the workforce in Federal Universities, except for the professorial cadre which will enjoy a 35 per cent upward review.

“Henceforth, allowances that pertain to ad-hoc duties of the academic and non-academic staff shall be paid as at when due by the Governing Councils of Universities to which such services are rendered and to the staff who perform them.

“That a sum of N150bn shall be provided for in the 2023 budget as funds for the revitalization of Federal Universities, to be disbursed to the Institutions in the First Quarter of the year, and that a sum of N50bn shall be provided for in the 2023 Budget for the payment of outstanding areas of earned academic allowances, to be paid in the First Quarter of the year”.

Speaking at the end of the meeting, the Pro-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria, Prof Peter Okebukola, noted that the government was ready to go all out to ensure that the university lecturers return to school.

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*Sets up another committee to look into grey areas in lecturers’ demands

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has again set up a 14-man committee to look into the grey areas of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) demands.

The spokesperson of the Minister of Education, Mr Ben Goong, disclosed this at a press conference at the end of the meeting between the Federal Government, vice-chancellors, and pro-chancellors of public universities yesterday in Abuja.

Members of the committee are Chairman, ASUU/FG negotiation team, Prof Nimmi Briggs, Chairman, Governing Council, Federal University, Minna, Prof Olu Obafemi, and former Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma

Others include an elder statesman, Prof Bashir Dalhatu, Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Kabiru Bala, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, and Vice-Chancellor, University of Benin, Prof. Lilian Salami.

Also, the President, Academics of Letters, Prof Duro Oni, President, Academics of Medicine, Prof Akinsanya Osibogun, Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof Charles Igwe, JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, and the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Abubakar Rasheed, among others.

On the demand of ASUU to use the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), Goong explained that it was not part of the areas under consideration as the government had already set up a committee to fine-tune the two payment platforms including the existing IPPIS.

He said that in a few days, the committee would conclude and thereafter meet with President Muhammad Buhari.

On if the earlier Nimi Briggs committee would be jettisoned in place of the new committee, Goong said the new committee was in continuation of the Briggs committee.

Also, the Chairman, Governing Council, National Open Universities (NOUN), Prof Peter Okebukola, expressed worry over the shutdown of the universities.

Okebukola promised that the dark cloud would soon clear as lecturers would in no time resume work, saying that the committee would conclude in no distant time.

He, therefore, said that the government was open to continued discussions and deliberations to end the strike.

On the ranking of Nigerian universities, Okebukola said that the 2022 ranking was about to be concluded, saying that the ranking by the National Universities Commission (NUC) was the best in the world.

He said that this was due to the inclusivity, transparency, and credibility of its data.

Some stakeholders have continued to react to the pulling out of some state universities from the ongoing indefinite strike by ASUU, saying they pulled out due to threats from their employers.

It would be recalled that some state universities such as the Kaduna State University, (KASU), Ekiti State University (EKSU), and the Nasarawa State University, Keffi have pulled out of the ongoing indefinite strike actions by ASUU.

While other state universities refused to join the nationwide strike, they include Osun, Rivers, Delta, Borno, Anambra, Kwara, Akwa Ibom states, and the three universities owned by Lagos State.

A lecturer at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Dr Oluremi Oni, said that the pulling out by state universities from the strike would not in any way affect the structure of the union.

Oni, who blamed ASUU for bringing state universities into the issues affecting federal universities, said their pulling out was proper.

According to her, no matter how many state universities pulled out of the struggle, this will not affect our collective desire to protect the country’s educational system.

Oni expressed concern over the action of the government’s intention to extend the meeting with the union till June 2023, saying that this showed a lack of commitment to education.

On the ‘no work, no pay’ stands by the government on ASUU, she blamed the government for this approach, saying that the union decided on behalf of the generality of Nigerian children to have quality education not minding the fact that their children were also affected.

“The government has forgotten that ASUU members also have children in these universities and so members are also losing.’’

The Secretary, Workers and Youths Solidarity Network (WYSN), Mr Damilola Owot, called on the leadership of ASUU to re-emphasise the benefits of the strike to state workers to give them reasons to maintain the tempo and not to relax.

According to him, ASUU should pay special attention to the specific needs of the state universities too, and incorporate them into their future demands.

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator, Congress of University Academics (CONUA), Dr Niyi Sunmonu insisted that the liberalisation of academic unions was the only way out to end incessant strikes in universities.

Sunmonu said the liberalisation would engender cross-fertilisation of ideas, nurture healthy competition and protect the interests of all stakeholders hence there would be no need for a strike.

Also, the former National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Mr Sunday Asefon had previously called on state-owned universities to opt out of the action.

He said that ASUU had lost the support of Nigerian students given the unpatriotic disposition displayed by them in extending their strike indefinitely.

Asefon said students would no longer support the union’s call for intervention while accusing the body of being self-serving.