The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the proposed 35% salary increase offered by the Federal Government, insisting that what Nigerian universities need is proper funding, not half-measures.
The union leaders said the increase is insufficient and reflects a broader issue of chronic under funding in the Nigerian education sector.
The Lagos Zonal Coordinator for ASUU, Prof Adesola Nassir, said this in a press briefing on Tuesday at the Lagos State University of Education, LASUED.
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Nassir described the government’s offer as wretched, indicating that it would leave Nigerian academics among the lowest-paid in Africa.
According to him, despite the proposed raise, the actual salaries for university staff remain inadequate to sustain a standard of living commensurate with their professional responsibilities.
“The recent offer of a 35% increase in salaries is not only unscientific but will still result in Nigeria’s academics being poorly compensated compared to their counterparts in other countries,” Nassir stated.
The zonal coordinator stressed that a salary increase must be substantial enough to counteract the effects of years of neglect and economic challenges faced by educators.
Nassir noted that when the 2009 agreement was signed, a professor earned approximately $3,000 monthly.