The Ondo State Government and unions in the state-owned tertiary institutions have reached an agreement on the implementation of the new Federal Government-university unions’ wage structure and allowances.
This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan.
The agreement followed a series of meetings between officials of the state government, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and leaders of labour unions in the state-owned universities.
The unions involved in the discussions included the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that academic and non-academic unions in Ondo’s three state-owned universities are currently observing a total and indefinite strike over unpaid allowances owed to their members.
According to the statement, the meeting addressed outstanding issues concerning salary adjustments, allowances and other welfare matters affecting workers in the universities.
A major resolution was the governor’s approval for the full domestication of the Federal Government-ASUU agreement on the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) for academic staff in the state-owned universities.
The statement noted that implementation of the agreement would take into account the peculiarities of the state.
Aiyedatiwa described education as a priority of his administration and assured the unions of his commitment to sustaining industrial harmony in the state’s tertiary institutions.
“Our administration will continue to prioritise the welfare of workers, especially in the education sector, because we understand that a motivated workforce is key to academic excellence.
“We have approved the FGN-ASUU pact for our universities because we want our institutions to compete favourably and our staff to be at par with their counterparts elsewhere,” he said.
The governor also pledged continued engagement with stakeholders to ensure that the state’s tertiary institutions remain centres of excellence without incessant industrial action.
The ASUU chapter of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, speaking on behalf of the unions, commended Aiyedatiwa for approving the implementation of the FGN-ASUU agreement in the state universities.
