NEW VARSITY LECTURERS’ ALLOWANCE: Bayelsa Govt Indicates Readiness for Negotiation
...Urges ASUU To Halt Strike Process
Bayelsa State Government has indicated its readiness to negotiate with members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in its employ on the issue of Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) approved by the federal government few months ago.
The state Deputy Governor, Dr Peter Akpe, gave the indication at a meeting with the leadership of the Niger Delta University and Bayelsa Medical University chapters of ASUU in Government House, Yenagoa, on Thursday.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, the Deputy Governor assured the university lecturers of the state under administration of Governor Douye Diri is an irrevocable commitment to improving their welfare and advancement of educational development in the state.
Dr Akpe, however, clarified that although it is not compulsory for the state government to implement every agreement federal government had reached with ASUU at the national level, it will continue to collaborate with the various chapters of the union in the state to ensure uninterrupted academic calendar in its universities.
The Bayelsa Deputy Governor, who highlighted the importance of effective communication and dialogue in industrial relations, particularly called on ASUU, NDU Chapter to halt the process it has already activated for a strike action.
According to him, government’s previous engagements with ASUU over the implementation of some issues in the last memoranda of understanding (MoU) by both parties did not warrant an industrial action, adding that the doors of the Governor Douye Diri Administration is always open for dialogue.
Addressing issues tabled by the ASUU team, which include employment of academic staff, accommodation, infrastructural projects, promotion arrears, amongst others, Dr Akpe directed the Commissioner for Education, Dr Gentle Emelah, and members of his team to carry out an on-the-spot assessment on the abandoned 48-unit housing project at the NDU campus and report back to government.
While urging the Union to furnish the government’s technical team with the details of the new allowance, including its financial implications, he emphasized that the current administration will not play to the gallery by accepting what it cannot pay.
His words: “As a government, we have not and will not joke with the issue of welfare of workers. If you objectively compare our universities with other state-owned universities, you will find out that we are not doing poorly in several respects.
”On the issue of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance you raised, I want you to work out the details and let us know what it will culminate to. But let me make it clear that we, including the Governor are not the final say. It is our financials that have the final say. Please take that into consideration.
”I appreciate your presentations. They were clear and neat. But that Federal Government has implemented it, and therefore, the state government, which is your employer must also implement, does not apply. We will not accept and agree with you on that.”
Making his presentation at the meeting, the Chairman of the NDU Chapter of ASUU, Comrade Oyinkepreye Bebeteidor, explained that the notice of strike action was premised on the non-implementation of some key components of its MoU with the State Government.
Comrade Bebeteidor, who commended government for implementing part of the MoU in 2025, however, informed that the issues of promotion arrears, staff accommodation, employment of academic staff, and the 19 months’ 25 and 35 percent wage arrears captured in the agreement were yet to be addressed.
The ASUU leadership also demanded for the quick implementation of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA), arising from the 2025 ASUU/Federal Government agreement.
Other representatives of ASUU at the meeting included the Chairperson of ASUU, Bayelsa Medical University, Dr Sylva Ligeinaziba, Prof. Stanley Ogoun, Prof Gift Eke, Dr Tammy Johnbull, and Dr Emmanuel Atagboro.
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