Following the reported half payment of their salaries by the Federal Government, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has called on the aggrieved members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities to remain calm.
This was contained in personally signed three-page statement by Rep. Gbajabiamila, issued on Monday, in Abuja.
He said efforts to find lasting solutions to the concerns frequently raised by the university lecturers were on.
The speaker claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari was ready to wade into the half salaries issue.
The statement partly reads, “When the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) called off their industrial action three weeks ago, it meant that academic activities could resume in our nation’s public universities, and students could return to their academic pursuits after the prolonged interruption. This decision was rightly heralded nationwide as the correct decision.
“Since then, the executive and the House of Representatives have worked to address the issues that led to the strike. We are currently working on the 2023 appropriations bill, which includes N170 billion to provide a level of increment in the welfare package of university lecturers.
“The bill also includes additional N300 billion revitalization funds to improve the infrastructure and operations of federal universities.
“Furthermore, the House of Representatives has convened the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other stakeholders to facilitate the adoption of elements of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). This effort is being supervised by the chairman of the House Committee on Tertiary Education, Rep. Aminu Suleiman.”
