The Nigerian government has agreed to the payment of the withheld salaries of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) members.
Minister of State for Labour, Mrs Nkiru Onyejeocha, said President Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu and their education counterpart, Professor Tahir Mamman, to work out modalities f or the payment.
She said the president assured the organised labour that he would not disappoint.
“Recall that Labour met Mr President last week, and they asked that he should give them one week to consult more. And of course, at the end of the day, the consultation came, very fruitful because the President said he has to be a father.
That it is not the issue of the law of who is right, or who will blink first, that he is our father like he has always said. That we should end the issue of give me 1000, add 1000 and all that.
“That, first and foremost, that the review of this minimum wage policy has to be reduced to three years, that five years is too long a time to get any minimum wage review, that is not very healthy. And of course, that labour should look at the indices of the economy and accept N70, 000 minimum wage, and of course, that it has to be reviewed every three, years.
Not more than that, of course, so that we will be able to evaluate and see whether our economy is picking up, or whether something has to be done further, considering the sensitivity of the issue.
“And, of course, he promised and asked that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and Budget and Economic Planning, Education should make sure that they go back to the books, because he has the discretion to look into the issue of SSANU, NASU and all that, so that their money should be paid.
“And they should work out the modalities, whether it’s 50%, but that he has given that waiver that they should be paid. Of course, that issue of no work, no pay and all that issue has to be laid to a rest,” Onyejeocha said.
Besides, she further said: “And apart from that, I believe other things that were discussed, Mr. President reassured Nigerians that he is not going to rest, he is working diligently to make sure that our economy recovers. That that has to be taken into consideration. But he’s not going to joke with the welfare of Nigerians.”