The Nigerian Federal Government has initiated the disbursement of salaries that were previously withheld from members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), according to reliable sources in the academic sector. This news was confirmed by Prof. Gbolahan Bolarin, the chairperson of ASUU at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, who stated, “Yes, it is true. Payment has started rolling in.”
In October 2023, President Bola Tinubu approved the release of four out of the eight months’ salaries that had been withheld during the eight-month strike in 2022. The salaries were withheld as a result of the ‘No Work, No Pay policy’ implemented by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari against certain university-based unions engaged in the prolonged strike.
Recently, the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, announced that the government has increased the salaries of university workers by 35 percent. Additionally, he revealed that universities have been granted autonomy by being removed from the Integrated Payment and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). Mamman highlighted that universities no longer require a waiver for recruitment and filling vacancies.
These positive developments were the outcome of informal consultations with tertiary institution unions, as mentioned by the Minister, signaling a commitment to resolving issues and improving conditions within the university sector.
