Kano approves new minimum wage for varsities’ staff

The Kano State government has approved the implementation of a new minimum wage for academic and non-academic staff of Yusuf Maitama Sule University and Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, the two state universities.

The state’s executive council at its weekly meeting approved the release of N49, 695, 509.26 million in this regard.

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The state commissioner for information, Malam Muhammad Garba, who announced the government’s decision in a statement on Thursday, however, said accumulated arrears from the time of the approval of the new salary structure to date would be determined pending improvement of the current financial situation in the state.

He said the two institutions would receive a monthly allocation of N24,560,479.72 and N25,135,029.54 respectively for the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary Structure II (CONUASS II) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure II (CONTISS II).

Daily Trust reports that the state government and the state’s organised labour have been at loggerheads recently over the decision of the government to renege on the payment of N30,600 minimum wage for civil servants in the state.

The government had said the development, which started in November 2020, was as a result of the dwindling economy and reduction in FAAC allocation as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and had promised to return to the minimum wage as soon as the situation improves

Watari dam gets two 1,500 KVA generators

In another development, the state executive council has approved the award of contract for the supply and installation of two 1,500 KVA generating sets at Watari 75mld Water Treatment Plant to address acute water supply shortage to the towns and villages served by the treatment plant.

The commissioner said the contract, which is worth N355, 027, 831.20 million was awarded to Messrs Mantrac Nigeria Limited for the treatment plant designed to serve Watari-Kano Pipeline, Watari-Bagwai Pipeline and Watari-Tsanyawa pipeline each with a separate pumping outlet.