Despite the presidential waiver granted by President Bola Tinubu in October, which approved the release of salaries withheld for four months, the Federal Government has not yet released the salaries of university lecturers, workers, and employees of federal polytechnics and colleges of education.
The waiver, granted under the principle of the presidential prerogative of mercy, was intended to allow the previously striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities ,ASUU, and other academic unions to receive four months of salary accruals out of the eight months withheld during the eight-month industrial action.
While President Tinubu’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, announced the waiver in October, stating that it was granted in recognition of the faithful implementation of agreed-upon terms during deliberations between ASUU and the Federal Government, the funds have not been disbursed as expected.
Speaking on the matter, the chairperson of ASUU at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof Gbolahan Bolarin, confirmed that the lecturers had not received any payments.
“We have not received anything like that,” he said.
The National President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, Muhammed Ibrahim, also stated, “If you are referring to the four-month salary backlog, it has not been paid yet.”
Similarly, the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Anderson Ezeibe, informed reporters that the arrears had not been paid.
Efforts to get a comment from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation were unsuccessful, and the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission spokesperson, Emma Njoku, clarified that the payment was not within the agency’s responsibility.
The delay in disbursing the salaries raises concerns among university lecturers, workers, and employees awaiting the release of their withheld payments despite the presidential waiver.
Crediblenews.ng
