By JOAN NWAGWU

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has expressed concerns over its exclusion from the N630 billion released by the Federal Government as intervention fund to universities and other tertiary institutions.

Mr. Ideji Nwokoma, NAAT President said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

The statement signed by Mr Abubakar Yusuf, General Secretary of the union, Nwokoma commended President Bola Tinubu for his commitment towards uplifting the educational sector through infrastructural and human capital development.

“We commend the federal government for the recent release of about N630bn intervention to universities and other tertiary Institutions, as approved by the President and announced by the Executive Secretary of TETFund.

“The leadership of NAAT wishes to state that information available to us as a union, indicates that the federal government directed the Office of Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) to effect payment of the withheld salaries.

“However, the payment is to be paid only to members of a sister union, to the exclusion of members of NAAT and two other university-based unions,” he said.

Nwokoma said the union found it difficult to reconcile the action of the federal government to pay only members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) the withheld salaries to the exclusion of its members.

“We view this attempt as very unfair and unjust as it pitches the membership of our union against the leadership and is creating a charged atmosphere as it is a recipe for total disruption of academic activities in our campuses,” he said.

Nwokoma, on behalf of the union, appealed to the minister to look at the plight of his members and expeditiously pay the over five-month withheld salaries.

He also urged the minister to implement the 25 per and 35 per cent approved salary increase with arrears and release the arrears of earned allowances of NAAT members. (NAN)

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