Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, revealed this to State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
The FG regretted that the quality of output does not satisfy the needs of the nation and advance its development.
This was as the FG prayed the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, the National Association of Academic Technologists and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions to exercise patience as it rectifies their omission in the payment of four-month withheld salaries.
Mamman explained, “The council made some observations on research output from research institutes across the country and expressed concern about the institutes not living up to relevant and valid proper research that meets the requirement of Nigeria or that takes the country to the level of development and that is the major role of research institutes in developing countries.
“The council wants to see our tertiary institutions play those roles while ensuring there is sufficient funding for those activities.”
The FG vowed to hold the management of public higher institutions accountable for the prudent administration of their financial resources and strict compliance with extant laws and regulations guiding their existence.
Mamman also revealed that the council approved a note presented in December 2023 regarding the withdrawal of the public higher institutions from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, and approvals of recruitment waivers to the public institutions thereby providing opportunities for the institutions to manage their affairs.
The council equally agreed to hold accountable managers of the institutions over any glitch of regulations.
According to the Minister, “I had a note to the council and the Council approved as it relates to higher education as it was taken in December if you recall, but the council thought it is important for the universities to be reminded of their obligation under the various laws that sets up universities.
“This time around, Council will hold to account their management for any glitch of regulation which will be communicated to them and the effective date for this was the middle of December last year so henceforth these regulations will be conveyed to them so that they can be free to manage the university line with the various laws setting them up.”
He stated that the tertiary institutions will now employ more hands in their ranks when there is budgetary provision for the need, considering the ratio between academic and non-academic staff.
“These all pertain to ensure that public tertiary Institutions employ staff only when there is budgetary provision for it and there is also a ratio between academic and non-academic staff which must not be breached.
“It is one to five as prescribed by the universities commission and there is a limit to part-time staff that can be recruited that is restricted to senior lectures and above for a particular period which should not exceed one year,” he noted.
He also explained that the FG is working to address concerns raised by non-academic staff members of public universities over their omission in the payment of salaries withheld for four months.
Mamman who described the omission as an oversight promised that the relevant agencies are working to rectify it.
Meanwhile, the FG has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress to show understanding over efforts to address their demands.
The minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, who made the call after the FEC meeting, said most of Labour’s demands have been met, insisting that there is no need to protest.
Idris said the FG is baffled by the planned protests, affirming that it had done nothing to breach its agreement with labour.
He explained that the CNG buses are being delayed because they are manufactured on demand and “is not just what you get off the shelf.”
“Government has done nothing to truncate the agreement. We appeal to labour to see reason,” the minister entreated.
