ASUU Rejects Federal Government’s Proposed Salary Increment
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Benin Zone has rejected the salary increment recently proposed by the Federal Government, calling it insufficient to address the union’s concerns or to reverse the ongoing brain drain in Nigerian universities. Zonal Coordinator Prof. Monday Lewis Igbafen stated that the offer was “a mere drop in the ocean” compared to what’s needed. ASUU stressed the need for government to tackle all outstanding issues, including fully renegotiating the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement and truly addressing related matters. Igbafen criticized the half-hearted approach of the government, noting that Nigerian university lecturers are still being paid at a level fixed back in 2009, despite economic changes and salary hikes in other sectors. He concluded that the union would not accept piecemeal solutions, urging authorities to take university reform seriously to ensure stable and quality education in Nigeria.
