The Kaduna State Government has approved the immediate payment of N300 million to lecturers at Kaduna State University as part of efforts to address outstanding allowances and improve staff welfare.
The government also constituted a nine-member committee to negotiate with the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and other staff unions over their unresolved demands.
The move follows renewed concerns over welfare, working conditions and unpaid entitlements at the university. ASUU-KASU had recently issued a two-week ultimatum to the state government and the university management. However, the union has said it prefers dialogue and remains willing to negotiate with the government.
The Secretary to the Kaduna State Government, Abdulkadir Meyere, said the N300 million payment was part of efforts to clear accumulated entitlements owed to academic staff. According to him, the government is working to clear a backlog of more than N800 million in allowances and other entitlements dating back to 2016.
He added that outstanding withheld salaries had also been paid, while funds had been released to settle arrears of students’ industrial training supervision allowances. The government has also established a N50 million monthly standing order to gradually settle outstanding arrears and staff-related claims.
The committee, chaired by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, has been given four weeks to review the unions’ demands and submit its recommendations.It will also examine issues including the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance and compare KASU’s conditions with those of other state-owned universities.
The government urged the unions to continue with dialogue and negotiation rather than resorting to industrial action that could disrupt academic activities. ASUU-KASU chairman, Dr Abubakar Abdullahi, said the union was not interested in a strike and would be willing to meet with the government to find a solution.
“Anything that will bring peace to the system, stability, that is what we want,” he said.
