The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed 30 per cent allowance increase for its members, describing the offer as unfair and warning that it could trigger industrial action across tertiary institutions nationwide if not reviewed.
The union made its position known on Wednesday at the opening of the University and Inter-University Centres Trade Group Council meeting held at Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo. NASU leaders said the government’s decision to proceed with the announcement of the increment, despite ongoing negotiations, undermines trust in the bargaining process.
Speaking at the meeting, NASU General Secretary, Prince Peter Adeyemi, expressed dissatisfaction with the disparity between the proposed increase for non-teaching staff and the 40 per cent reportedly approved for academic staff. He argued that such a gap would further deepen existing inequities within the university system.
According to him, “Negotiations have not been concluded, yet the government went ahead to announce a 30 per cent increase. This raises concerns about fairness and the sincerity of the process.”
Adeyemi maintained that even if both categories of workers received equal percentages, structural salary differences would still exist, but the current arrangement worsens the imbalance. He stressed that NASU members across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education have continued to support institutional operations and implement agreements reached by other unions, yet their welfare concerns remain unresolved.
“Our members are becoming increasingly agitated. We are approaching the end of April, and there is still no concrete agreement that addresses our demands,” he added.
The union called on President Bola Tinubu to personally intervene in the matter to ensure fairness and restore confidence in the negotiation process. NASU insisted that parity with academic staff is the only acceptable outcome that would reflect justice and equity within the education sector.
Also speaking, NASU National President, Comrade Hassan Makolo, emphasized the essential contributions of non-teaching staff to the smooth running of universities, warning that continued neglect could destabilize the system.
The union warned that failure to address its demands may lead to a nationwide shutdown of tertiary institutions, as members may no longer guarantee industrial peace if the situation remains unresolved.
