By TINA TIMOTHY

To boost the teaching conditions and morale of the university teaching academics, the International College of Democracy and Human Rights Scholars (Inter-College-DRS), comprising over one hundred erudite academics, international democracy and rights campaigners, religious leaders, lawyers and activists, says that a Nigerian University Professor should, in addition to enjoying improved condition of service, earn a monthly remuneration of N1 million as against N416,000 which they are allegedly being paid.

The group in a statement issued in Enugu on Thursday described as totally unacceptable, the meager salaries given to university teachers while political office holders, their families and friends lavish the country’s resources, giving the instance of a presidential party primaries leading contender, offering a bribe of N15m to each of his political party delegate, an amount equivalent to three years of total pay for a Nigerian University Professor.

Part of the statement signed by Prof Jerry Chidozie Chukwuokolo, High Chief Prof Justice Chidi, Dr. Patrick Mbum, Emeka Umeagbalasi, Rev Dr Ahaz Taye, Comrade Aloysius Emeka Attah, Justus Ijeoma Esquire, Engineer Ikenwoke Nwandu and Chidimma Udegbunam Esquire, reads: “It is therefore the insistence of the College that the monthly remuneration (basic salary and allowances) of a Professor of Nigerian University presently put at maximum of N416,000, according to sources, must be unified across board and reviewed upward to N1m monthly or N12m per annum. This must exclude other packages statutorily necessary to boost the teaching conditions and morale of the university teaching academics. To subject Nigerian university teachers to pittances as pay package while the leaders of the country, their families and cronies lavish the country’s earned, borrowed and stolen public funds in rabid opulence, kickbacks and briberies is totally unacceptable. Such was glaringly the case at the recent Presidential Party primaries where a leading contender, through his agents, shockingly offered a bribe of N15m or $25,000 to each of his or her political party delegates. The N15m bribe is equivalent of three years of total pay for a Nigerian University Professor. This is more when Naira has been so devalued that it is presently traded at N670 per $US in black market, in addition to gallop increases in building materials, foodstuffs, transportation and personal items in Nigerian markets,” the group stated.

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