The Federal Government has disclosed that it could only afford a 23.5% salary increase for lecturers and a 35% increase for professors as it tries to resolve the deadlock it is currently having with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
This is as the government has set up a tactical committee to review its ‘no work, no pay’ stance against striking members of ASUU as well as look into issues relating to salary increases for university lecturers and come up with workable solutions.
Adamu said that President Buhari has warned against signing agreements which the government will not be able to implement as the government tries to resolve its dispute with ASUU and end to almost 7-month strike by the university lecturers.
Adamu said, ”The Federal Government can only afford a 23.5% salary increase for all categories of the workforce in Federal Universities, except for the professorial cadre which will enjoy a 35% 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 150 billion Naira 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 50 billion Naira 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.’’
Meanwhile, the federal government has said that the 14-member committee is expected to come up with its findings in no distant time with its report to be forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari for action.