From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Congress of University Academics(CONUA), yesterday, lauded the federal government for setting up a tripartite committee to consider the minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
CONUA, gave the commendation in its statement titled the state of the nation, payment of four months out of seven and a half months withheld salaries, stagnation of remuneration of academics and call for negotiation, signed by its national president, Comrade ‘Niyi Sunmonu, and made available to newsmen in Benin in City.
Comrade Sunmonu said this, in their view, is to improve the salaries of Nigerian workers, which have remained largely stagnated while cost of living has been galloping.
Sunmonu said that CONUA therefore demands that the committee should conclude its work quickly while the
government on its own part, should effect its outcome to alleviate the suffering of Nigerian workers.
The CONUA’s president while also thanking President Bola Tinubu for paying them parts of their salaries arrears, appealed to him to pay up the balance because they never participated in the said strike that their sister union embarked on.
“The Union wishes to convey its appreciation to the federal government for effecting the payment of four months out of the seven and a half withheld salaries of academics in federal universities as a result of strike action embarked upon by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU).
“Our Union, CONUA, has consistently maintained that it never declared and was not part of
any strike action.
“What the government had done was to lump together those who embarked on strike with those who did not! This will give the impression that the federal government does not
appreciate other measures other than strike to pursue the demands of academics!
“This against the judgment delivered on 25th July, 2023 at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), which affirmed CONUA as an independent Union.
“Since CONUA neither called for nor joined any strike, withholding the three and a half months
salaries of members of the union contravenes Section 43 (1b) of the Trade Disputes Act CAP. T8, which states that “where any employer locks out his workers, the workers shall be entitled to wages and any other applicable remunerations for the period of the lock-out and the
period of the lock-out shall not prejudicially affect any rights of the workers being rights
dependent on the continuity of period of employment”.
“This provision is consistent with
global best practices. In conclusion on this, CONUA demands that the process of paying these
outstanding months be kick-started immediately in order to ensure lasting peace in our ivory towers”, Sunmonu said.
He also added that it is very disheartening that since the government talked about the implementation of 35 percent and 23 percent salaries increase, nothing has been done in that regard.
“In addition, the implementation of 35 percent and 23.5 percent salary increment for staff of tertiary institutions through a memo from the National Salaries,
Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) dated 14th September 2023 and to be effective from
January 2023.
“CONUA finds it appalling that one-year after the directive; it has not been implemented even in the face of excruciating suffering of Nigerian academics brought about by inflation.
“CONUA therefore calls for the implementation of this directive and also demand for the
constitution of a negotiation committee, without further delay, that will include all academic
unions in the university and other stakeholders to negotiate the upward review of emoluments of
academics in Nigerian Universities while taking into account the current realities created especially by the fuel subsidy removal.
“Financially debilitated, psychologically challenged and dispirited lecturers cannot be expected to sustainably engage in the mentally-tasking and physically-exhausting tasks of
teaching, research and community service which constitute the mandate of academics.
“This point is particularly quite critical in the light of the unprecedented developmental challenges, which are being
created and will be created by the innovative measures that are being put in place by the President
Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
“Finally, CONUA notes with appreciation President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of the
commitment of his administration to enthrone University Autonomy”, Sunmonu said.