The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has made an urgent appeal to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, regarding the payment of withheld salaries for its members. This appeal was voiced by Dr. Makolo Hassan, President of NASU, during a two-day National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Wednesday in Abuja.
Dr. Hassan urged the minister to expedite the payment of 50% of the withheld salaries, as directed by President Bola Tinubu. He noted that NASU members in universities and inter-university centers have been awaiting the resolution of four months’ unpaid salaries. Despite the president’s directive to release half of this amount—specifically two months’ worth—Dr. Hassan stated that the finance minister has yet to act on this instruction.
He emphasized, “We are reliably informed that the finance minister is the one sitting on the directive of Mr. President on the matter. NASU would like to use this forum to appeal to him to ensure that the directive is implemented to avert further industrial crisis in our universities and inter-university centers.”
Additionally, Dr. Hassan urged the Federal Government to address various agreements and Memoranda of Understanding made with the union’s leadership. He advocated for improved living standards for non-teaching staff, including the implementation of the newly approved 65 years of retirement age and 40 years of service. He also called for the establishment of boards for research institutions to boost productivity and emphasized the need for the boards of teaching and specialist hospitals to be constituted to enhance their effectiveness.
Highlighting the significant challenges facing the education sector, Dr. Hassan pointed to issues such as inadequate funding, infrastructure decay, and staff welfare as critical obstacles to fulfilling institutional mandates.
In his address at the NEC meeting, Prof. Tahir Mamman, Minister of Education, represented by Prof. Pauline Okwelle, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education, called for solidarity among education stakeholders in building a robust educational system. He underscored the importance of adaptability and innovation in enhancing productivity, especially amid economic challenges.