Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State has promised to settle outstanding allowances, including salary increment and research funds of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero (KSUST).
Recently, the union demanded for better welfare, increment in salaries, promotion, funding of researches and infrastructures development in the institution among others.
Chairman of ASUU KSUST chapter, Dr Ibrahim Wawata and other leaders of the union met Governor Bagudu at the Government House during a courtesy visit to intimate him about their plights.
Wawata, while speaking on behalf of the union said, “’ Our issues have to do with staff entitlements, academic allowances, promotion, annual increment of salary. We are here to inform you about our issues and if all these demands were addressed, it would reposition our university to compete with other institutions within and outside the country”.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Mukhtar Bunza said the state government has included all their demands including increment of salary, promotion and others claims of the union in the 2019 budget which has been approved by the governor.
Bunza added that the state government is trying to address all the issues that are related not only to the university, but to other tertiary institutions in the state.
Governor Bagudu while responding to the union’s demands, promised to address them immediately and others challenges facing the university.
He said the institution required sincere stakeholders that would guide government into right path on the funding of tertiary institutions so that the education system can run smoothly in the state.
According to him, “You have to help us as stakeholders because, this problems will continue after me and after all of us if we don’t have sincere stakeholders that will put us in correct path. If we get our priorities right, our education system can run well and we will be able to nurture children who will compete with their counterparts across the world”.
The governor who pleaded with the union to be patience with his administration, noted that the meagre Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) constrain the government from expending more on higher institutions and stressed that his is trying to diversifying the state economy through agriculture and attract investors, companies to boost it IGR.