The Nasarawa State government has agreed to shoulder the responsibility of paying the salaries of staff of the university to pave way for the immediate resumption of academic activities at the state-owned institution, Nasarawa State University Keffi.
Briefing members of the State Executive Council, Governor Abdullahi Sule, explained that recent developments across the educational, health and security sectors of the state, have brought the decision of the state government to agree to take over the payment of salaries at the state University, thereby meeting one of the key demands by the local chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), for the resumption of academic activities.
The Governor said, based on the available finances of the state and the importance attached to education, he has agreed to take over the responsibility of paying the salaries of staff at the NSUK, beginning this month, to allow students return to school.
He disclosed that so far, the management of the university and the non-teaching unions namely the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) have all agreed to commence academic activities in the university.
He explained, “One of the conditions they gave to us, the most important condition, is to ensure that we take over the full payment of salaries of all staff so that they don’t have to use their IGR.”
He added that the state government looked at her finances and strongly believe that, based on the cash flow available to it and also because of the importance attached to education, the state government should be able to start that from this month.
He hoped the state government would complement, saying that at the moment, it would start the payment hopefully by Thursday or Friday, hoping to see them (lecturers) return to classes for academic activities.
Also updating the council about his recent activities concerning education, the governor explained that following his recent visit to the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, the agency of the ministry, the National Communication Commission (NCC), through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has donated ICT gadgets to the College of Education in Akwanga.
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