Withheld Salaries: Non-academic staff of universities to be paid soon –Minister 

The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, a professor, said on Wednesday that the non-academic staff in Nigerian universities may soon be paid part their withheld salaries.The minister, who spoke on Wednesday when he featured on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, maintained that the failure to pay the withheld salaries of the non-academic staff of the universities as done for their academic counterparts was not deliberate. He said the development was a ‘communication problem’ and not a discrimination as touted in some quarters.“I believe what happened was a communication problem initially, that was what led to this. It wasn’t deliberate to exclude them from that benefit,” Mr Mamman said.

The minister, however, noted that the ministry is working to ensure that parts of their withheld salaries are paid.He said the payment has still not been made because President Bola Tinubu is yet to approve it. “There are still outstanding issues relating to non-academic and technical staff but the government is looking into that,” he said.“I don’t think it is safe to put a time on it. It is safer to say we are on it. We are pushing.”He added: “SSANU and NASU also know I am one of them. They have my sympathy in terms of getting what is due to them. And we are doing everything possible to get relief for them.”“Remember the whole foundation for that is there is a court judgement on no work, no pay. ASUU getting four months’ pay was actually a discretion and decision on the part of the President. So, it doesn’t automatically transfer (to NASU and SSANU) but the matter is under consideration. To me, I think we are making positive progress on this matter.

“And in any case, the non-academic staff, they were not on strike for the same period with the academic staff — about four months or so. So, if they are getting payment, it is going to be half of that (payment), if the President follows his precedent with the academic staff.”