NAAT Implores FG to Appoint New Chair to Conclude Renegotiation of 2009 Agreement

* Seek payment of withheld salaries

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja 

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has urged the federal government to immediately  appoint a new chairman to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement with the association without further delay. 

It also appealed to the federal government to pay its members their salaries withheld due to the last prolonged industrial strike by university workers, saying that as responsible citizens, they wouldn’t have embarked on such strike but as a last resort after all other efforts to resolve the issues failed.

While speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the President of NAAT, Ibeji Nwokoma, said that contrary to the claim by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, that government has reached agreement with the university workers, the renegotion has not been concluded.

“We wish to draw the attention of the public to the fact that the 2009 renegotiation has become more of an abandoned project. 

“We therefore use this forum to call on the federal government to appoint a new chairman to conclude the renegotiation with NAAT without further delay,” he said. 

Nwokoma said that NAAT was very concerned with the recent 40 per cent salary increment which left out members of the union who are on federal government pay roll. 

“This we consider as discriminatory, unjust and unfair and an invitation to industrial crisis. We therefore, call on government to immediately correct this injustice to members of NAAT by implementing as well the payment of the arrears of 23.5 per cent earlier approved for our members with effect from September, 2022,” he said. 

Nwokeoma also expressed concern over the N50 billion approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for the payment of arrears of earned allowance for members of university-based unions which has not been released. 

Nwokoma further said that the association had reached an agreement with the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, in the following areas:  release of enabling circular for CONTISS 14 and 15 for Academic Technologists, payment of arrears of occupational hazard allowance; payment of six months withheld salaries, offer of 23.5 per cent salary percentage increase, payment of earned allowance (EA) arrears and salary payment platform.

He said that the agreement was reached on Wednesday 17th August, 2022 in the presence of the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, at the minister’s office.

According to Nwokoma, the  agreement was signed by the minister, and the permanent secretary on behalf of federal government, while the President and General Secretary of NAAT signed on behalf of NAAT.

He however expressed dismay that none of the items contained in the agreement including those with timelines of three months have been implemented. 

NAAT Implores FG to Appoint New Chair to Conclude Renegotiation of 2009 Agreement

* Seek payment of withheld salaries

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja 

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has urged the federal government to immediately  appoint a new chairman to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement with the association without further delay. 

It also appealed to the federal government to pay its members their salaries withheld due to the last prolonged industrial strike by university workers, saying that as responsible citizens, they wouldn’t have embarked on such strike but as a last resort after all other efforts to resolve the issues failed.

While speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the President of NAAT, Ibeji Nwokoma, said that contrary to the claim by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, that government has reached agreement with the university workers, the renegotion has not been concluded.

“We wish to draw the attention of the public to the fact that the 2009 renegotiation has become more of an abandoned project. 

“We therefore use this forum to call on the federal government to appoint a new chairman to conclude the renegotiation with NAAT without further delay,” he said. 

Nwokoma said that NAAT was very concerned with the recent 40 per cent salary increment which left out members of the union who are on federal government pay roll. 

“This we consider as discriminatory, unjust and unfair and an invitation to industrial crisis. We therefore, call on government to immediately correct this injustice to members of NAAT by implementing as well the payment of the arrears of 23.5 per cent earlier approved for our members with effect from September, 2022,” he said. 

Nwokeoma also expressed concern over the N50 billion approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for the payment of arrears of earned allowance for members of university-based unions which has not been released. 

Nwokoma further said that the association had reached an agreement with the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, in the following areas:  release of enabling circular for CONTISS 14 and 15 for Academic Technologists, payment of arrears of occupational hazard allowance; payment of six months withheld salaries, offer of 23.5 per cent salary percentage increase, payment of earned allowance (EA) arrears and salary payment platform.

He said that the agreement was reached on Wednesday 17th August, 2022 in the presence of the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, at the minister’s office.

According to Nwokoma, the  agreement was signed by the minister, and the permanent secretary on behalf of federal government, while the President and General Secretary of NAAT signed on behalf of NAAT.

He however expressed dismay that none of the items contained in the agreement including those with timelines of three months have been implemented.