Minimum Wage: Academic Technologists Kick Against Non-payment

The National Association of Academic Technologist (NAAT) has frowned at the Federal Government’s inability to implement the new minimum wage for its members, the union also expressed displeasure at the non-payment of the arrears as a result of the N30, 000 minimum wage signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari last year.

NAAT, at its inaugural National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, said it was not happy that government had failed to keep to its side of the bargain to pay all arrears accruing from the new minimum wage by December 31, 2019.

In a statement issued by the Union’s National Public Relations Officer, Dr. Mafuyai Magit in Abuja yesterday, it was gathered that the union said it would not be able to guarantee industrial harmony in Universities if the government failed to honour the law and clear the arrears.

The statement reads: “After extensive deliberations on the burning issues of the moment, NAAT frowns at government inability to implement as well as the payment of the arrears of minimum wage peacefully agreed upon in spite of repeated assurances by the minister of finance to effect this not later than 31st December, 2019.

NAAT also believed that it joined the IPPIS in good faith complying with government directives, but to its dismay government had reneged in its obligation of payment of salaries, unions’ checkup dues and other obligatory deductions as it concerns Academic Technologist in universities and indeed those in other tertiary institutions.

“It is on this premise that NAAT wishes to implore the Federal Government to always keep to agreements made with unions to avoid unnecessary industrial unrest in the educational institutions.

“NAAT, therefore, demands that government keeps to its promise to implement and pay the arrears of the consequential salary adjustment as applicable to Academic Technologists in the universities without delay as industrial harmony can no longer be guarantee if government fails”.