• Workers to suspend strike tomorrow
The Federal Government has said it will source for N8 billion, within five weeks, to pay the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (NASU).
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, disclosed this at a conciliation meeting with the Non-Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities in Abuja.
NASU is made up of Senior Staff Academic of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
The resolution was jointly signed by Ngige, NAAT’s President, Mr Sani Suleiman, NASU’s General Secretary, Mr Peters Adeyemi, SSANU’s President, Mr Samson Ugwoke and Prof. Anthony Anwukah, the Minister of State for Education.
Ngige also said part of the N8 billion would be used to pay members of the Academic Staff of Universities Union (ASUU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the University of llorin (UNILORIN), who were not paid during the last disbursement.
He also said the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission was to rework the December 15 Call Circular on university staff schools.
“This is taking into consideration the observations of JAC, NAAT, NASU and SSANU with a view to ensuring it complies with the National Industrial Court (NIC) judgment.
Ngige also said the Federal Ministry of Education reported that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation has started payment of salary shortfalls, adding that the process is still ongoing.
He said Ministry of Education was to synergise with the concerned institutions to ensure compliance with Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) requirements to facilitate payments of JAC members in the universities which are yet to comply.
On the issue of the non-implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for technologists, Ngige said the Ministry of Education has made submissions to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
He said the submission is for onward transmission to the National Council on Establishment (NEC) meeting slated for March 18, in Owerri, adding that the Ministry of Education is expected to report the outcome in five weeks.
Ngige also said the Ministry of Education has put forward an application for the visitation panel to the presidency and the main trust of the visitation is to re-energise the institution and unearth corruption, among others.
He said it was also agreed that the Ministry of Education would set in motion appropriate machinery for the release of White Paper in respect of the previous visitation panel already with government.
He assured that no worker would be victimised on account of the industrial action.
Ngige said government and JAC leadership agreed that the ongoing strike would be suspended by March 14, after due consultation with their National Executive Councils (NECs).