The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called for an end to the cut in personnel costs allocations to federal universities across the country.
The Abuja zone of ASUU comprising the University of Abuja, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Ibrahim Badamasi
Babangida University, Lapai and Federal University, Lafia, decried the development, describing it as ugly and worrisome.
The zonal coordinator of the union, Dr. Theophilus D. Lagi, while addressing newsmen in Lapai yesterday shortly after a meeting, said the issue of shortfall in payment salaries to members has become a regular pattern since December 2015.
“Salary is sacrosanct and payment of full salary, including all earned allowances, is the lubricant of the wheels of industrial harmony within the university establishment,” He said. “ASUU insists that her members have rendered their duties in full (100%) and as such, they should have their salaries and allowances paid in full and not in percentages or decimals.”
The zonal coordinator added that it is for this reason that ASUU is demanding an immediate payment of full staff emoluments to all federal universities.
He recalled that the issue of salary shortfall was one of the cardinal points that triggered the suspended one-week warning strike in November 2016.
The union noted the pathetic state of federal universities in the zone and said their funding has been on a steady decline.
“Government has no reason whatsoever, other than deliberate intent to inflict pains and misery on the university academia, to hype the gimmick of recession and in that garb, decide to unilaterally cut the earned salaries of the academic staff,” Lagi said.