Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has implemented the new consolidated salary structure for lecturers of tertiary institutions in state.
The lecturers commended the governor for making true his words to implement the consolidated salary structure last month.
Already, academic staff at the state-owned Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic and Shehu Shagari College of Education said they are organizing a special prayer sessions to thank God for seeing to the end of their struggles to have the new salary structure implemented.
Agitations for implementation started in 2008 following the introduction of the Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS), and despite repeatedly engaging past administrations for implementation, only this year did their demands materialized.
Speaking on the issue, chairman of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), SSCOE chapter, Abubakar Arzika, said Governor Tambuwal has set the bar in education sector and all lecturers will repay the faith.
He said over the years, they have organised prayer sessions seeking God’s intervention, “now that we have achieved our aim, we will organise another prayers to thank God and pray for the government as it seeks to better the lots of the citizenry.”
On his part, Chairman of Sokoto state chapter of the Joint National Public Service Negotiation Council, Abubakar S. Malami, said by proving that he is a labour-friendly Governor, Tambuwal deserves the applause of all workers.
“We are confident that going forward, all our demands will be met,” he added.
Giving a rationale for the implementation of the new salary structure, Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said it was introduced to enhance productivity and bring the pay structure of Sokoto’s tertiary institutions at par with what is obtainable across the federation.
“The overall objective of the state of emergency declared in the education sector in Sokoto is to make positive impact at all levels—basic, secondary and tertiary. Not only does the government engage in building new structures and rehabilitating old ones, we are fulfilling our promise to teachers and other non academic staff.
“I recall during one of his meetings with lecturers ahead of the 2015 elections, the Governor promised to implement the new salary structure and today, that promise has been fulfilled. The government will not relent in its efforts, we are also urging the lecturers to reciprocate government gesture by putting in their best for the development of the education sector of Sokoto State,” he added.
Apart from staff of State Polytechnic and the College of Education, those from College of Legal and Islamic Studies and College of Agriculture have also benefited.
Similarly, staff of College of Nursing and Midwifery and College of Health Technology, Gwadabawa have been paid the consolidated salary structure for health workers.