COEASU Rejects Discriminatory Salary Increase, Urges FG to Return to Renegotiation

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, (COEASU), has rejected federal government’s decision to exclude some workers, including lecturers and other workers in the tertiary institutions from the recent salary increase.

The Union said the action was an attempt by the federal government to divide Nigerian workers and cause confusion within the system.

It expressed its view in a statement issued by its President, Dr. Smart Odunayo Olugbeko, in Abuja, yesterday.

Olugbeko, said the discriminatory increase was an attempt to promote divide and rule and make Nigerian workers unable to speak with one voice on the issues that affect their general welfare.

The union, therefore, called on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, return to the renegotiation table to conclude the renegotiation, which includes salary increases for academic staff in Colleges of Education.

Part of the Statement read: “The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has received with mixed feelings the increase of 40 per cent in the salary of civil servants. “The union is happy that civil servants who are the drivers of government policies have been considered for salary increases.

“The union is, however, appalled at the government’s decision to exclude some categories of workers, including lecturers and other workers in the tertiary institutions, even though the various unions in the sector have made several overtures to the government on salary increase.

“The present action is an attempt by the federal government to divide Nigerian workers and cause confusion within the system. The discriminatory increase is an attempt to promote divide and rule and make Nigerian workers unable to speak with one voice on the issues that affect their general welfare.

“The government, in granting the increase, explained that it was to enable civil servants to cushion the effect of inflation and increase in the cost of living as if lecturers and other workers in the tertiary education sector are immune against inflation and geometrical rise in the cost of living.

“It is disheartening to note that lecturers and other workers in Colleges of Education had their last increase in salary in 2010, which was 13 years ago.

“The Union, therefore, calls on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, return to the renegotiation table to conclude the renegotiation, which includes salary increases for academic staff in Colleges of Education.”