The Minister of Education has assured that the recently reached agreement with university lecturers will be fully implemented, stressing that the real value of any agreement lies not in its signing but in its execution.
He revealed that implementation had already commenced even before the formal conclusion of the agreement. According to him, the Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and the President held several hours of meetings between December 20, 29 and 30 to ensure the release of an official circular backing the workers’ welfare component of the deal, which has now been issued.
The minister recalled that during negotiations, the President insisted he would not approve the signing of any agreement that could not be implemented. He said the discussions focused heavily on the availability of funds, adding that the President only gave his approval after being fully convinced that the necessary funding was secured.
He confirmed that the Federal Government now has the resources to support a 40 per cent salary increase for lecturers across all tertiary institutions in the country.
According to him, the process has started with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), while the nine enhanced Earned Academic Allowances have been clearly structured. He noted that academics now have clarity on who will be paid, what the payments are for, and the cost involved, ensuring transparency and accountability in the implementation process.
