Several Vice Chancellors (VC), members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and other key stakeholders, have raised concerns over the significant decline in the number of lecturers within Nigeria’s university system.
According to statements provided to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the recent approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a salary increment of 35 per cent and 23 per cent for staff in federal tertiary institutions has arrived amidst a critical issue.
The CEO of the Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta, communicated this approval through a letter dated Sept. 14 to the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, detailing the implementation of the adjusted salary structure.
However, despite this development, recent media reports highlight that approximately 50 per cent of lecturers have resigned from various universities, with more reportedly considering similar actions, painting a worrying picture of the situation.
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, attributed the scarcity of lecturers to the employment embargo imposed by the Federal Government.
He appealed to the authorities to lift this embargo, allowing universities to address the staff shortage.
He said the shortage has arisen from various factors, including lecturers seeking local and international opportunities, as well as retirements and unfortunate deaths.
Prof. Egbewole urged authorities to create an enabling environment that discourages brain drain.
Prof. Alewo Johnson-Akubo, Vice-Chancellor of Salem University Lokoja, echoed the concern, emphasizing that previous strategies to manage the situation, such as sabbaticals, are no longer viable due to the shrinking number of lecturers.
Dr. Muhammad Lawan, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academics at Yobe State University, suggested revitalizing the tradition of absorbing first-class graduates as lecturers and advocated for expanding existing universities rather than establishing new ones.
Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, highlighted the strain experienced by lecturers due to the faculty shortage, citing challenges in employing visiting lecturers due to restrictions from the unified payment platform (IPPIS).
He emphasized the dire need for improved funding for universities, urging the removal of universities from the IPPIS platform.
Prof. Akinwumi underscored Vice-Chancellors’ limitations in recruiting even essential staff and stressed the necessity of exemption from civil service rules for universities.
“Each time I see what my lecturers are going through to cope with the work load, I feel it for them.
“We used to have lecturers from other universities on sabbatical but IPPIS (the unified payment platform) doesn’t allowed that anymore.
“Sabbatical is a university culture where, as a lecturer you are given the opportunity to go to another university and lecture.
“Again, the visiting lecturers were very helpful in areas or departments you don’t have enough lecturers. But because of poor funding on the part of government and IPPIS, it’s no more tenable.
“I can tell you now that this is not the best time for us, the vice chancellors.
“This is because, as VC, you have no power to employ a single cleaner not to talk of a lecturer. You have to go Abuja and start begging before you can have one,” he said.
