Adamu Adamu, the minister of education, provided an overview of the Federal Government's efforts on Tuesday to end the strike that the Academic Staff Union of Universities began on February 14.
Adamu said the government has promised the union a 23.5 percent pay increase "for all category of the workforce in Federal Universities, save for the professorial cadre, which will enjoy a 35% upward review" during a news conference in Abuja.
A total of N150 billion, according to Adamu, "will be earmarked for in the 2023 Budget as funding for the revitalization of Federal Universities, to be released to the Institutions in the First Quarter of the year," was another promise made by the government.
Additionally, the government promised to set aside N50 billion "for the payment of outstanding areas of earned academic allowances, to be paid in the first quarter of the year" in the 2023 budget.
Minister Adamu stated that the offer was rejected by ASUU and three other university unions who had been on strike because they felt it was "inadequate to fulfil their various requests needed to handle the difficulties facing the university sector."
The union wants salaries to increase by more than 100%, an ASUU insider claims.
After additional consultations with the government, other unions, including NASU, SSANU, and NAAT, terminated their industrial action. In contrast, ASUU extended its strike indefinitely.
“We have done the best that we can in the circumstance,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile, the Minister said the issue of ‘no work, no pay’ remains a major obstacle in the negotiations.
“In the spirit of sincerity, Government made it clear that it would not break the law,” Minister Adamu said.
“And on this, I must, openly and once again, thank all the Unions which made the sacrifice of understanding the position of Government on the matter.”