Regina Otokpa, 
…faults ASUU’s stance on presidential signing of CBA
…says other sectors also demanding upward review of wages, salaries
The Federal Government has said N1.12 trillion will be needed to pay the salaries and allowances of lecturers and other staff working in the university system, going by the proposal of the Prof Nimi Brigg-led Committee set up by government to renegotiate areas of the 2009 Agreemententered intowith the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen Chris Ngige, who made this known in a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry, Olajide Oshundun last night, however, raised concerns that other sectors were equally demanding an upward review of their wages and salaries.
This was even as Ngige insisted there was no Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between it and ASUU currently awaiting signing by President Muhammadu Buhari. The minister stated that should such a Collective Bargaining Agreement be produced between unions and the Federal Government, it was not the President that signs but on the government side, MDAs led by the direct employer with the conciliating ministry witnessing.
He said: “This clarification has become necessary in view of the deluge of deliberate misinformation beingdishedout toNigerians by the President of ASUU, Prof. Osodekeaswellashisbranch leaders, calling on President Buhari to sign an agreement which they claimed to have reached with the Federal Government. “We wish therefore to inform Nigerians that there is no such CBA that has been reached between the Federal Government, ASUU and other university unions on the renegotiation of their salariesandallowances( wages). What is in existence is a proposal. EvenwhensuchaCBA ismade, itisnotthePresident that signs it. From available records, no Nigerian President or sovereign signs such.
“The true position is that Nigerians are aware that ASUU has been on strike since February 14, 2022 and locked in negotiations on their demands, especially of their conditions of service – wages , salaries, allowances and other public service matters – that should be guided by relevant Federal Government Ministries and agencies – Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Budget office of the Federation, National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Office of Head of Service of the Federation, throughthenewlysetupProf. Nimi Briggs Committee.
“Note that that Prof Nimi Brigg Committee just like the Prof. Munzali Committee it replaced, is an internal committee of the Ministryof Education to receive ASUU demands and renegotiate areas of the 2009 Agreement while also receiving briefs from the MDAs mentioned above that act as advisers, before making any counter offer to ASUU and other unions.
“Unfortunately, ASUU insisted that these relevant advisoryMDAsrecusethemselves from the sitting of the Briggs Committee accusing them of non-cooperation. All alone with the Prof Briggs Committee, ASUU started fixing their salaries and allowances to the exclusion of the statutory government ministries and agencies that manage the entire annual finances of government, budget and fiscal policies and the Office of the Head of Service that is in charge of ensuring that public service rules and regulations are not undermined in any condition of service offered to public officers in the universities.
“Because of this exclusion engineered by ASUU, and the arising complaints to the Chief of Staff to the President and the Honourable Minister of labour and Employment by the concerned MADs, the Chief of Staff and the Honourable Minister of Labour set up an inter-Ministerial/Agency sub Committee comprising the affected MDA’s under the Minister of State Budget and Planning to quickly look into Prof. Briggs Committee report which to all intent and purpose was still a proposal in June 2022 at the government side meeting. This assignment was to be completed with the Presidential Committee on Salaries and Wages and given two weeks to come up with their recommendation.
“Having rounded off its work, the committee returned as verdict; that with the Prof. Briggs Proposal of 109 -185% increase in the university wage structure, the Federal Government will incur an additional N560 billion as salaries alone, on top of the present N412 billion, less all other allowances suchasEarnedAcademicAllowances and fringe benefits, teaching allowance, field trip, responsibilityandpostgraduate supervision, allowances, hazard allowances which were to gulp another N170 billion. “In all, the sum of N1.12 trillion will be needed to pay the salaries and allowances of university lecturers and other staff in the university system. At present, the wage billof the universitystaff and their colleagues in Teaching Health Systems gulp nearly 50% of the total Federal Government staff personnel cost/wages. Recall that the staff of polytechnics and Colleges of Education have also placed their wage review on the front burner since two months ago.
