The Ondo government and tertiary institution unions have reached an agreement on implementing the new federal government and university unions’ wage structure and allowances.

According to a statement on Monday by the governor’s chief press secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the agreement followed a series of meetings between state government officials, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and the leadership of labour unions in state-owned universities.

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

The academic and non-academic unions in the three Ondo state-owned universities are currently on a total and indefinite strike over unpaid allowances for members.

A major resolution was Mr Aiyedatiwa’s approval of the full domestication of the federal government-ASUU agreement on the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) for academic staff of state-owned universities.

The implementation of the resolution is expected to take into account each state’s peculiarities.

During the meeting, Mr Aiyedatiwa described education as a cardinal priority of his administration and promised the unions his commitment to sustain industrial harmony in the state’s tertiary institutions.

“Our administration will continue to prioritise the welfare of workers, especially in the education sector, because we understand that a motivated workforce is key to academic excellence.
“We have approved the FGN-ASUU pact for our universities because we want our institutions to compete favourably and our staff to be at par with their counterparts elsewhere,” the statement said.

It said that the government would continue to engage stakeholders to ensure that the state’s tertiary institutions remained centres of excellence without incessant industrial action.

According to the statement, the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko chapter of ASUU, while speaking on behalf of the unions, commends Aiyedatiwa for approving the FG-ASUU agreement for the state universities.

(NAN)