- Aiyedatiwa approves full implementation of FGN-ASUU wage structure
Hope brightened on Monday that the wage dispute grounding academic activities in the tertiary institutions owned by the Ondo State Government will soon be over as Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and their unions have reached an agreement.
The agreement on the implementation of the new Federal Government and Varsity Unions’ wage structure and allowances followed series of meetings between officials of the State Government led by the governor and the leadership of the unions.
They are 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) in the state-owned universities.
Rising from the meetings, both parties agreed to a comprehensive resolution of all outstanding issues relating to salary adjustments, allowances and other welfare matters.
As part of the resolutions, Aiyedatiwa approved the full domestication of the Federal Government-ASUU agreement on CONUASS for academic staff of Ondo State-owned universities, with implementation to reflect the peculiarities of the state.
The Governor, who described education as a cardinal priority of his administration, assured the unions of his administration’s commitment to sustaining industrial harmony in the state’s tertiary institutions.
His words, “Our administration will continue to prioritize 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 added that the state government will continue to engage all stakeholders to ensure that the state’s tertiary institutions remain centres of excellence without incessant strike actions.
Responding on behalf of the unions, the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko chapter of ASUU,
commended the governor for his listening disposition and for approving the FGN-ASUU agreement for state universities, describing it as a bold and commendable step that will boost morale of staff.
In a letter addressed to the governor and signed by its Secretary, Dr. Y.K. Kazeem, the union said “the intervention by the governor demonstrated his profound commitment to the welfare of workers and conveys a clear message this his administration is workers friendly”.
The unions pledged to reciprocate the governor’s gesture by ensuring academic stability and improved productivity in the universities.
