Benin ASUU Rejects The Proposed Salary Increment By Federal Government

Benin ASUU Rejects The Proposed Salary Increment By Federal Government 

Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin

The Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the proposed salary increment by the federal government, describing it as a mere drop in the ocean.

Prof. Monday Lewis Igbafen stated that the situation is hindering the desired reversal of the brain drain syndrome currently bedevilling the university education in Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of the Zone, Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Monday Lewis Igbafen, said it is sad that the federal government has again demonstrated a blatant unwillingness to quickly and holistically resolve all the outstanding issues.

Prof. Igbafen made the statements in a press conference in Benin city, Edo state, said the federal government would be serious for once to put the unresolved issues behind them by satisfactorily concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 FGM/ASUU agreement and genuinely addressing other ancillary issues in contention.

He said," the salary and conditions of service components remain a sore point that needs a radical approach to stem the impending crisis in the system. 

"We have rejected the proposed salary increment by Government because it is a mere drop in the ocean that is Incapable of achieving the desired reversal of the brain drain s ndrome currently bedevilling university education in the country. 

"We are saying Enough Is enough to the back-and-forth approach of the Federal Government to the negotiation. This half-hearted approach must STOP NOW. This we are talking with ASUU without results must stop.

" The most obvious implication of the refusal of the Government to conclude this negotiation Is that university teachers In Nigeria have continued with the same salary regime of 2009 when the value o the naira to a dollar was N120, and this is even added to the fact that salaries in other sectors have since been reviewed upward twice or more.

" It is sad to note that what a professor at the bar earns in today’s Nigeria is less than $400 per month, which is a scandalous under-valuation of Nigerian scholars. To continue to remain on the same salary regime for more than 15 years without a meaningful review is not only wicked and Inhuman but also a catalyst for resistance, Industrial disharmony and brain drain," Igbafen added.

According to  Prof. Igbafen stressed that, most worrisome is the fact that the actions and pronouncements of government functionaries, including the Minister of Education are antithetical to a genuine and speedy resolution of the issues.

"They are deliberately undermining the negotiation process by their subtle misrepresentations of issues and agreements, including the so-called government offers and their implementation, especially as they relate to the part-payment of promotion arrears dating as far back to 2017, and the release of third-party deductions, which are a part of our members’ unpaid benefits for years.

" They have wickedly portrayed these as core or 

substantial issues, while at best, they are mere confidence boosting exercises which should not be framed as the substantial issues of the negotiation process. 

"The result of this dishonesty is that the Federal Government had been dishing half-truths to the public on the negotiation and this strategy portends an inevitable crisis. 

"The Government still has some time at its disposal to resolve all unresolved issues. In fact, the remaining days to the expiration of the one-month window given to Government must be utilised to avert the looming paralysis. 

"Our Government should accept the immutable reality that nothing is too much to invest in the education of its citizenry because it is the bedrock of any society that desires development.

 "The sing song by Government about the paucity of funds or the global economic downturn as an excuse to deny the education sector adequate funding is no longer tenable considering the prevailing economic reality.

 "Government needs to be reminded that there has been a quantum leap in the revenue profile of both the Federal and State Governments.}We are not unaware of the 2022 data from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee which evidently confirmed that States received a total of 3.92 trillion naira, while the figure for 2024 was 5.81.

" Trillion naira, showing a staggering increase of over 62%. Similarly, our Union is aware that the Federal Government received 3.42 trillion naira in generated revenue in 2022 and 4.65 trillion naira in 2024, representing a humongous increase of over 70%," Prof. Igbafen added.

However, for the avoidance of doubt, the Benin Zone of ASUU comprises University of Benin, Benin city, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Delta State University, Abraka, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, University of Delta, Agbor, Dennis Osadebay

University, Asaba and Southern Delta University, Ozoro.