The Governing Council of Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, has approved the implementation of a new minimum wage of ₦70,000 for its staff, effective from December 2024, as reported by Voice of Nigeria.

The announcement was made by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali, during a meeting with the executives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ibadan Zone, at the Council Chamber of the institution's Business School in Ilorin.

According to Professor Ambali, the new minimum wage is part of the university's efforts to promote industrial harmony and enhance staff dedication to the institution's vision. He emphasized that the university is committed to creating a conducive work environment and prioritizing employee welfare, in line with ASUU's philosophy.

The Governing Council's decision to implement the new minimum wage is seen as a positive development for the staff of KWASU, and is expected to motivate them to deliver their best for the institution.

Professor Ambali added that other efforts put in place to ensure staff welfare included consequential adjustments to salaries, the one hundred thousand Naira (#100,000) school fees rebate for biological children of staff schooling in the university, the fifty thousand Naira (#50,000) monthly stipend for staff with disabilities, and a subsidised transportation scheme to ease staff movement from Ilorin to Malete and back.

He added that the Council of the University was in dialogue with the State Government on the concerns of the Union in the University regarding the payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) to the members of the Union.

Professor Ambali commended the ASUU leadership for their style of exploring non-combative means to address their members’ concerns, noting that the agitations of the Union led to the creation of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), which is now the major source of infrastructural and training support to institutions in Nigeria.

Earlier, the Zonal Coordinator of the Ibadan Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Comrade Oyegoke Oyebamiji, stressed the need for more funding of universities as the only way to ensure that institutions run effectively to address societal needs.

While appealing to the State Government to heed the calls of the Union for the reinstatement of subvention to the university and the payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) to staff, Comrade Oyebamiji, who was in the company of other executive members from the Ibadan Zone, commended the quality of administration and understanding between staff and management of Kwara State University, which had prevented local action in the institution.