The Federal Government, through the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission, has approved the payment of a new percentage increment in salaries for academics and non-academic staff members of all its tertiary institutions across the country, Saturday YOMSDIRECT has learnt.
This is as the percentage increment for junior staff members of tertiary institutions was raised from 23.5 per cent, which was reviewed last year, to 25 per cent.
Our correspondent gathered that the arrears of the increment from January 2023 would also be paid.
Although nothing was said about the withheld salaries of the academics and non-academics who embarked on strike in 2022, it was learnt that the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, earlier wrote the Chairman of the NSIWC, Ekpo Nta, to demand the status of the collective bargain for salary increment which started between the unions in federal Institutions such as the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, among others, and the administration of former President, Muhammadu Buhari.
Sources within the Ministry of Education informed our correspondent that the decision of the minister to write the NSIWC might not be unconnected with visitations by some of the academic unions and intervention by some pressure groups.
When asked if polytechnic lecturers were aware of the new development, the national president of ASUP, Dr Anderson Ezeibe, told our correspondent that the union heard the news and was looking forward to the implementation.
“Definitely, we heard of it and we are looking forward to it. There will be a 25 per cent increment for junior lecturers while chief lecturers and professors will benefit from a 35 per cent increment.”
