Varsity technologists threaten to shut down labs, research centres over N22.1billion earned allowances

By ADANNA NNAMANI, Abuja

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), has expressed disappointment over refusal of the Federal Government to adhere to Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), entered with the union on the sharing formula for Earned Allowances.

According to the union, the federal government had agreed in February, to disburse the next trench of Earned Allowances in accordance with the 2019 MoU which stipulates that each of the university unions will get 25 percent of the money.

The union however, insisted that the present sharing does not reflect that agreement.

NAAT President, Ibeji Nwokoma in a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja, called on the federal government to quickly reverse the sharing formula to avoid a looming crisis in the university system.

He advised the government to facilitate fair sharing of the funds to prevent pushing its members into drastic reactions of shutting down laboratories, workshops, research centres and suspending any further research across all universities.

Recall that the N22.1 billion released by the Federal Government for Earned Allowances for the universities had generated some conflicts because the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), was again, allocated 75 percent of the total sum while the three Non Academic Staff Unions were allocated 25 percent of the money.

The unions are, namely the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, (SSANU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

The union also expressed worries on the recent spate of kidnappings and killings in the country especially the kidnap of some staff of the University of Abuja and appealed to government at all levels, to adopt proactive strategies of preventing security breach around all campuses and the larger community.

The union further expressed concerns over the recent pronouncement by the federal government to make COVID19 vaccination compulsory for all federal employees. It urged the Federal Government to reverse the policy and encourage staff instead to voluntarily take the vaccination.

Speaking on the state of dilapidated roads and the spate of building collapse in the country, Nwokoma said:

“NAAT is concerned about the level of dilapidation that continue to cause hardship and sometime avoidable accidents on our roads, thereby making it very difficult for people to use Roads. NAAT Is appealing to government to expedite actions towards the realization of the over 600bn proposed NNPC road construction projects across the country.

“NAAT is also concerned with the spate of building collapse in the country and attendant loss of life and
properties associated with the collapse.

“We are calling on relevant agencies of government at all levels to ensure the adherence of all building projects with the building regulations.” (Daily Sun)