Universities Should Negotiate Salaries Of Lecturers, Others – Yusuf Ali

The Pro-chancellor of the Osun State University, Malam Yusuf Ali ( SAN), has advocated that each university in the country should be allowed to negotiate with its lecturers and other personnel how much it can afford to pay them.

He said this on Thursday in Ibadan in a lecture he delivered at the 80th birthday and presentation of a book of tributes in honour of Emeritus Prof. Michael Omolewa, who is Nigeria’s former Ambassador to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

Ali, who is a prominent lawyer, said the practice of determining remuneration for varsity workers by the Federal Government and fostering same on all universities had failed because the funding capacity of each university differs.

He said, ” Universities should be left to decide and negotiate with the workers on what it can afford to pay. Each university should be given powers to determine remuneration packages and review the terms and conditions of service of its staff by themselves.

“The blanket application of the payment structure has woefully failed and this is expectedly so because the states and regions have different level of funding and therefore have varying capacities to meet up with the structure imposed on them.

“As earlier stated, the universities should be allowed to generate funds internally for recurrent expenditure, the government can then intervene by way of the provision of infrastructure by way of grant.”

He also said government should appoint competent persons into governing councils of universities, saying appointing people into councils as a form of political patronage was wrong and killing the system.

Alli also stated that autonomy would continue to be unachievable if unions always run to the government for intervention anytime there was crisis in their institutions.

“There should be a review of how the Councils are constituted and who gets into the place. The practice of appointing people into Council based on political consideration or as in expectation of loyalty should be shoved out of the window. The appointments should not be political pay backs.

“The so-called ‘appointment with Statutory Flavour’ is an anathema in today’s world. What exists between the university and its workers is simply a contract of service. It should be so treated and the enabling laws should be amended to reflect it as such,” he added.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, also described Omolewa as a good ambassador of Nigeria, saying he had contributed immensely to the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge.

The minister, who was represented by the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non formal Education, Prof. Abubakar Haladu, said Omolewa had remained humble despite his accomplishments.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Adebola Ekanola, hailed Omolewa, who he described as a good role model to the new generation of academics.

Wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Foluke Adeboye, also lauded Omolewa, who she described as a good ambassador of Christ.

Adeboye also hailed Alli for the lecture while tasking the lawyer to write a book on how to administer a university, saying such would address some issues in university administration.