The implementation of the new salary structure agreed between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expanded to more federal universities, with lecturers in additional institutions confirming receipt of salaries under the revised structure on Wednesday.
Correspondents confirmed that academic staff in Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU), Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), and the Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK) received salaries reflecting the new Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowance (CATA).
A lecturer at BUK confirmed the development, saying, “BUK has started enjoying the new salary.”
At UDUS, several academic staff confirmed that the payments included tax relief on CONUASS, while CATA was not subjected to taxation.
One lecturer at the institution said, “It is true, we have witnessed a substantial increase in our salary, but we are waiting for our payslips to get the proper details.”
An associate professor at UDUS also confirmed a significant rise in earnings.
“There is about a 51 per cent increase in my salary. I received over N700,000 as take-home pay,”* he said.
However, findings showed that the implementation was limited to academic staff, with non-teaching staff excluded from the adjustment.
The implementation was also not uniform across faculties within the same institution. A professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at UDUS said staff in the faculty did not receive salaries under the new structure.
“I am a professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and none of us received the new salary,”* the professor said.
Another senior academic at the university said the new salary structure had not been fully implemented for all lecturers.
“It is only for academic staff, and even among them, not everyone has been paid yet. Some colleagues have received salaries with CATA, while others are still waiting,”* he said.
A source at UDUS explained that the university management delayed salary payment until the warrant for the new CATA was released.
“When the Vice-Chancellor heard that the warrant for the new CATA would be released, the bursary was directed to delay payment until it was received. That was why CATA reflected in the salaries paid,”* the source said.
Similar confirmations were received from FUBK, where some academic staff said salaries were paid with CATA and other allowances reflected.
The development follows earlier concerns over the failure of the FG–ASUU agreement to reflect in January salaries across federal universities.
