Sumonu said that such a pay rise will also be “a way of compensating the academics for helping to build the nation through teaching, research, and various community services”.
He spoke at the Federal University, Oye Ekiti on Friday during a symposium titled, ‘The life of an academic’ and the foundation stone laying ceremony of CONUA Secretariat in FUOYE.
The CONUA president said, “Since 2009, the government has failed to consider increasing the take-home pay of the Nigerian public universities’ academics in spite of progressive inflation and economic hardship. The ugly development has been responsible for lecturers retiring into a life of penury”.
He said, “So as we go into retirement, we are asking the government to give us the opportunity to be able to draw a minimum of 25 per cent outside the mortgage or housing fund from our contributory pension so that our people can plan well before their retirement. We want the government to do something on this quickly”.
Sumonu hailed FUOYE CONUA for setting precedence with the secretariat project, saying, “I am very happy with this groundbreaking. It shows CONUA has places to go. FUOYE is the first to start this”.
A renowned Professor of Food Science and Technology, Prof. Mojisola Oyarekua, who delivered the lecture, advised FUOYE students who were in attendance in their numbers that there were opportunities for greatness and fulfillment in academics if they were focused and studious.
Oyarekua advised older unions in public universities against unhealthy rivalry with CONUA, saying the groups should rather collaborate to ensure that the government attended to the welfare and well-being of university workers in Nigeria.
She said, “If we follow the path of diplomacy like CONUA is doing, we will get our demands. We are not at war. ASUU and CONUA, we are to work together. The welfare of academics and that of students must be paramount to us as pressure groups in the academia”.
The don lauded FUOYE Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, for his outstanding achievements in office, saying, “As an administrative person myself, I am able to appreciate the good work the VC is doing. His achievements have made many Nigerian youths desire FUOYE as their university.”
Dignitaries on the occasion included the VC, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Tajudeen Opoola; and CONUA’s national Secretary, Dr Henry Oripeloye.
