Dr Atabo
1. After being subjected to untold hardship and forced to complete the 8-month backlog of work, the President has magnanimously approved a dehumanizing 4-month “Mercy-Salary”
2. As if that was not enough, it is being served with a cold-chilly caveat of never protesting any ill-treatment meted out to the University community as a pre-condition to be paid. Really?
3. In their thousands, many have died leaving behind loads of bills for widows and orphans and the “mercy” shown by the President to these victims of wicked politicians is the release of half of the full salary that has been worked for?
4. The FGN currently owes members of the academia a backlog of over 9 years of EARNED ACADEMIC ALLOWANCE. There is no mention of that anywhere. So any attempt to request or protest non-payment is to be quenched by “mercy-payment” of 4 out of 8 months duly earned salary?
5. The academics are the only set of FG workers that do not access annual leave, which is enjoyed (or monetized) by all workers in Nigeria. They work for 12 months a year. Furthermore, massive cases of un-remitted pension and NHS deductions are still ongoing as of today.
So by agreeing to the President’s mercy payment, you lose the right to protest these broad-day violations? What a shame!
6. Between 2009 and 2023, the salaries of nearly all FG employees have been reviewed upwards by 70% to 260%, except for the academics in the Federal Universities.
Even the most recent 40% pay rise that was implemented within the last days of Buhari’s administration did not include the University community. Amid these horrible injustices, this is the “Mercy” we get from the President?
7. After the failed negotiations with the Buhari-led FG, 25% and 35% salary award (for junior academics and Profs respectively) was included in the 2023 budget. Two months to the end of 2023, the present FG has re-introduced and presented the same Buhari’s salary award as a favor to Lecturers.
Even at that, they have refused to pay. That doesn’t seem like enough provocation, ..then they’re presenting ASUU with a slave option of WE PAY YOU 50% OF THE SALARY YOU HAVE WORKED FOR, AND THEN YOU DON’T EVER GET TO PROTEST WHATEVER WE DO TO YOU! What an offer!
8. In his magnanimity, the same President who deemed it fit to pay ASUU 50% of duly earned salary has approved 100% payment of salaries to Doctors for the period they were on strike! That is how politicians rate the engine room of the citadel of learning in Nigeria.
9. Mr. President, thank you, but please, keep your 4-month “mercy payment”. If you can’t afford the 8-month salaries we have worked for, then keep all of it. Pay us our Earned Academic Allowance (EAA). On all grounds, we have at least earned that pay.
10. It is true that we have been pauperized, but we are no slaves, we are not beggars. Our dignity and self-respect are all we’ve got left, after years of battering by politicians. Please, don’t take that away from us with this demeaning, slave “mercy salary” approval.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Dr Atabo is a lecturer at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi.
