FG increases academic salaries at federal tertiary institutions by 25%
The PUNCH has learned that the National remuneration, Wages and Income Commission, on behalf of the Federal Government, has authorized the payment of a newly approved percentage hike in remuneration for academic and non-academic employees at all of its tertiary institutions nationwide.
This is due to the fact that the junior staff at tertiary institutions now receives a 25% raise instead of the 23.5% it did previous year. According to information obtained by our correspondent, the arrears of the raise from January 2023 will also be reimbursed.
While the unpaid wages of the academic and non-academic workers who went on strike in 2022 went unmentioned, our correspondent learned that the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, had already written to the Chairman of the NSIWC, Ekpo Nta, to request the collective’s status.
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According to insiders at the Ministry of Education, the Minister’s decision to write the NSIWC may have been influenced by visits from some academic unions and interference from pressure groups.
When asked if lecturers at polytechnic institutions were aware of the new development, Dr. Anderson Ezeibe, national president of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, responded that the union was aware of the news and eagerly anticipating its implementation.
“Yes, we are excited about it and we heard about it. Junior lecturers would receive a 25% raise, while chief lecturers and professors will receive a 35% raise, the speaker stated.
This letter would be sent to university administration, not ASUU, according to Prof. Chris Piwuna, national vice-president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
A letter from the Chief Executive Officer/Chairman of the NSIWC, Eyo Nta, was obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Friday. It was written to the Minister of Education on September 14, 2023, just before he left for the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
I refer to your letter No. FME/IS/UNI/ASUU/C.I/IT?/90 dated 8th September 2023 in regard to the above-subject, which is marked “RE: Implementation of the 35% and 23.5% salary increment for staff of tertiary institutions.” For your reference, please find the circulars describing the four salary schemes in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education attached.
The 23.5% that was originally mentioned in our letter SWC/S/04/S.149/I/59 dated July 28, 2022 and stated in paragraph 2 of your letter has been increased to 25%, which accounted for the additional cost implications. The success of your informal discussions has tremendously impressed this Commission. We will make every attempt to assist you in repositioning the education sector. Please take my sincere wishes as a guarantee.
The commission then went on to inform other parties, including the Office of the Head of the Federal Civil Service and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, of the implementation of the newly reviewed salaries in a circular that was also issued on September 14, 2023 and was addressed to the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The circular states, “Approval is hereby conveyed for the revision of the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of the Federal Republic of Nigeria having taken into consideration the various stages of collective bargaining in various sectors, and in particular engagements between the Federal Ministry of Education and Tertiary Institutions-based Unions, and consequent upon the Federal Government’s approval, as well as 2023 budgetary provisions.
Additionally, the increase was confirmed in a letter from the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation dated September 21, 2023 that was shown to our correspondent on Friday in Abuja.
“I am directed to inform you that the Presidential Committee on Salaries at its 13th meeting having taken into consideration the different stages of collective bargaining in various sectors and in particular engagements between the Federal Ministry of Education and Tertiary Institutions-based Unions and consequently the Federal Government’s approval, is hereby conveyed,” reads the letter that was signed on behalf of the office’s Director of Human Resources, Ajanaku F.O.
Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure, Effective January 1, 2023, Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
For non-academic staff employed by federal universities, the Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure II will take effect on January 1, 2023.
Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Non-Academic Staff Salary Structure for Consolidated Tertiary Education Institutions, effective January 1, 2023.
Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure II (CONUASS II) for Academic Staff of Federal University, effective January 1, 2023.
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