We have seen the memo from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on the implementation of 35% and 23.5% salary increment for staff of tertiary institutions. CONUA applauds the efforts of the present government for implementing this salary increment at this material time. As a union, we also acknowledge the efforts of the former Minister of Labour, Senator (Dr.) Chris Ngige who discussed this matter with CONUA delegates on 03 May 2023 after the court sitting when CONUA delegates met with him to further discuss on welfare, backlog of salaries and other issues of the Union.
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 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 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 in order to boost the morale of academics while at the same time reducing the scourge of brain drain from the institutions.
Thank you.
‘Niyi Sunmonu, PhD
National President, CONUA
Monday, 25 September 2023.