Federal Gov’t, NAAT Reach Truce To Avert Strike In Varsities, Others

Federal government and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to address the union’s l grievances.

The agreement was reached at a high-level conciliation meeting convened by the minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, in Abuja.

In a statement issued by the ministry’s head of press and public relations, Patience Onuobia, she said representatives of the government and the leadership of NAAT attended the meeting.

LEADERSHIP reports that NAAT had issued a 21-day ultimatum to the government, threatening a nationwide strike if critical issues affecting its members were not resolved.

Among the union’s grievances are the mainstreaming of various allowances, the release of N50 billion for earned allowances, the full implementation of the 2019 national minimum wage consequential adjustments, payment of withheld salaries, and the conclusion of the FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreement renegotiation.

To address these concerns, the meeting resolved to set up a technical committee to review and provide recommendations on unresolved matters.

“The committee will, among other responsibilities, examine the mainstreaming of NAAT-specific allowances, including field trip, student technologist staff ratio supplementation, Student Work Experience Programme (SWEP), and call duty allowances.

The multi-agency committee comprises representatives from the Budget Office of the Federation, Office of the Accountant General, Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), and NAAT. It is expected to submit its report within two weeks,” the statement reads.

Additional tasks assigned to the committee include reviewing and facilitating payment of three and a half months’ withheld salaries, addressing release of third-party deductions from the two-month salary backlog, and ensuring payment of arrears of occupational hazard and responsibility allowances (seven and 11 months, respectively).

Other terms of reference are resolving issues around omitted NAAT members in the 2019 minimum wage implementation and facilitating the payment of one-year arrears of the 35 percent and 25 percent salary increment.

“Regarding the release of the N50bn to settle outstanding claims of earned allowances of NAAT members, the meeting asked the federal ministry of labour to follow up with the federal ministry of education to ensure possible supplementary payment to NAAT.

“The meeting also mandated that the federal ministry of labour and employment follow up with the federal ministry of education to ensure early completion of the protracted FGN/NAAT 2009 Agreement renegotiation exercise.

“The meeting noted that the consequential adjustment of the New minimum wage has been implemented as negotiated by the Joint Public Negotiating Council.

The statement added that regarding the release of the enabling circular for career progression to CONTISS 14 and 15 for Academic Technologists, the meeting directed the federal ministry of labour and employment to write to the head of Civil Service of the Federation to expedite action on it.

“On the non-recognition of NEC approved NAAT, NAU branch leadership against an illegal EXCO whose tenure has elapsed by the Management of Nnamdi Azikwe University (NAU), Awka, and non-remittance of seven months (November 2024 – May 2025) check-off dues to NAAT national park headquarters by the branch, the meeting mandated the federal ministry of labour and employment to write to the management of NAU to look into the matter and report back to the ministry within one week.

Both parties agreed that another conciliation meeting would be held in three weeks to review the situation and consider the committee’s report.

The government side’s signatories to the MoU include Mr Harry Ogugua, acting head of the Industrial and Labour Relations Division at NUC; Emmanuel Onung, representative of the Federal Ministry of Education; and Falonipe Amos O., Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. The president of NAAT, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma, and the general secretary, Comrade Abubakar Yusuf, signed on behalf of the union.