The VC suggests a one-million-naira minimum salary for professors
In a recent address at Oye Ekiti, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, urged the government to consider a salary increase for academics, emphasizing that a professor’s monthly earnings should not fall below N1 million.
Prof. Fasina made these remarks during a commendation award ceremony hosted by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ekiti State Council.
He also commended the Federal Government’s decision to exempt public universities from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
Expressing his support for the move away from IPPIS, the Vice Chancellor highlighted the advantages of granting universities greater autonomy.
He stated, “The advantage is that we are now independent to decide on the proper management of the system. We can also take from our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to supplement government allocations.
Currently, lecturers in Nigerian universities are poorly remunerated, and a professor, for instance, should earn not less than a million naira.”
Prof. Fasina further explained that the departure from IPPIS allows universities to efficiently manage their affairs, particularly in areas such as recruitment, without the need for constant approval from the government.
He cited the bureaucratic challenges within IPPIS, noting instances where staff members faced delays in salary payments, and former Vice Chancellors experienced prolonged salary denial upon their return from sabbatical.
According to the Vice Chancellor, the exit from IPPIS signifies a positive step toward improving the education sector, stating, “By the singular act of exiting universities from IPPIS, President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated his genuine intention and commitment to turning around the fortunes of the education sector. The exemption would birth a new university system.”
The call for increased salaries and the praise for the exemption from IPPIS reflect the ongoing discussions surrounding the welfare of academics and the need for a more streamlined administrative process within Nigerian universities.