….decries payment of promotion allowances, upward review of salaries since 2019, others
Chima Azubuike
Academic Staff Union of Universities, Gombe State Chapter, has told the State Government, to settle its Earned Academic Allowance, saying it would boost members’ morale towards work and performance.
Our correspondent reports that EAA is the money paid yearly to Academic Staff of Universities for handling more than the specified numbers of students, following the overflow from admission.
The branch Chairperson; Dr Suleiman Jauro, disclosed the financial challenges of lecturers in a press briefing titled Gombe State Government: Address lingering issues in Gombe State University.
Jauro decried the non-increment in the monthly subvention to the university from N250m, adding that it would enable the university seamlessly honour its obligations of payment of salaries and overhead expenses.
While lamenting other concerns noted by Congress, which would boost the morale of university Academic Staff, the union stressed that welfare of its members have remained unattended to.
The Chairperson said,”Non-implementation of promotion for staff. Promotion of staff has since 2020 become a major luxury in the university to the extent that the arrears promotions covering about 13 months is yet to be paid; the 2021 promotion has not been implemented, while the 2022 promotions though long overdue remained uncompleted largely due to non-availability of fund.
“Non-payment of the accumulated Earned Academic Allowance, in the university for the period covering 2015/2016 session to 2019/2020 session.
“The branch in view of the above facts, hereby request the State Government to address these issues and recalibrate the morale of staff in the university for more stable industrial atmosphere.”
Also, Immediate Past Chairperson Dr Oladimeji Lawal, called for implementation of Memorandum of Action in reducing the accumulation of the EAA, “So long as the university admit students beyond the actual capacity so shall we continue to have excess work load. For instance a lecturer in Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is expected to teach a minimum of 30 students but ends up taking 500 students above the minimum. Anything above 30 falls on excess work load,” the IPC explained.
