FG Urged to Decentralise University Salary Structure

The federal government has been urged to decentralize the University salary structure so that lecturers could be allowed to negotiate with governing councils of their respective university.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna, made the call while speaking at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, during the launching of four books and celebration of excellence by Prof. Aminu Ladan Sharehu, who is a Professor of Public Administration.

Haruna suggested that lecturers should be paid by contact hours and remunerated according to the impact of their output.

He said Nigerian varsity system ought to grow to a level where lecturers will earn more than a vice chancellor(VC), or political office holders if their works attract funding.

According to him, the attitude of some teaching staff leaves much to be desired, adding that it was worrisome that universities are not solving any socio-economic challenges of the communities in their catchment areas.

He said universities have no linkages with industries and relevant research organisations.

He said: “Let me advocate that university salary structure and indeed of all tertiary institutions should be decentralised in such a way that lecturers are paid for productivity hours. Salaries to be negotiated on case-by-case basis with the Governing Council and according to the capacity and performance of the lecturers and the universities.