FG to source N8bn to pay varsity workers, says Ngige

By Usman Shuaibu

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has disclosed that the federal government will source for N8 billion to pay the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities.
He said the money will be sourced within five weeks.
According to the minister, the resolution reached at a conciliation meeting with the Non-Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities in Abuja.
The Non-Academic staff Union of Nigerian are made of the Non Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (NASU), Senior Staff Academic of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) National Association of Academic Technologists, (NAAT).
The resolution was jointly signed by Mr. Ngige, NAAT President, Sani Suleiman, NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, SSANU President Samson Ugwoke and Anthony Anwukah, Minister of State for Education.
Ngige, also said part of the eight billion would also be used to pay members of the Academic Staff Universities (ASUU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the University of llorin (UNILORIN), who were not paid at the last disbursement.
He added that, 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 of NAAT, NASU and SSANU with a view to ensuring that it complies with the National Industrial Court (NIC) judgment.
He said that 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 was still ongoing.
He said the 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 that are yet to comply.
The minister, however, said on the issue of the non-implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for technologists, the Ministry of Education has made submissions to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
He said the submission was 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 had put forward an application for the visitation panel to the presidency and that the main trust of the visitation was to re-energise the institution, unearth corruption, among others.
He stated that 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 also added that no worker would be victimised on account of the industrial action.
The minister disclosed further, that government and JAC leadership have agreed that the ongoing strike would be suspended by March 14, after due consultation with their National Executive Councils. (NECs)