Sierra Leone News: Njala Lecturers to Protest
By Stephen V. Lansana
Following the delay in the payment of leave allowance for the 2018/2019 academic year, the Academic Staff Association (ASA) of Njala University on Tuesday September 17, 2019, said that they will revoke the strike action that was suspended if their leave allowance is not paid before or on September 30, 2019.
It could be recalled that the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education and the Tertiary Education Commission signed a memorandum of understanding with Tertiary Educational Institutions to integrate the salaries of workers of the said Institutions into the government centralized computerized payroll systems. The Institutions include Njala University, Ernest Bai Koroma University, Milton Margai College of Education and Technology, Freetown Teachers College, Bonthe Technical Institute, Eastern Polytechnic and University of Sierra Leone.
The Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa has earlier said that the government will pay the basic salaries, PAYE, NASSIT and allowances such as Rent, Transport, Medical, and Annual leave allowances. Also, The Tertiary Educational institutions will pay salaries and other payroll costs to Associate staff of the different Tertiary Educational Institutions from their subventions or revenue they generate.
The Secretary General of ASA, Abu Bakarr Sheriff said in a letter addressed to the University Registrar, that they held a well attended ASA plenary meeting on September 16, 2019, in the auditorium of Njala University, in which they thoroughly discussed welfare issues.
According to the letter, the lecturers resolved that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by NU Administration on behalf of NU Staff with Ministry of Technical and Higher Education and Ministry of Finance is unacceptable because of the fragmentation of payment of salaries, salary discrepancies and non involvement of ASA in the process. “Therefore, ASA will not comply with it,” they said in the letter. The latter was copied to the Chancellor of Njala University, Pro Chancellor, and Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University.
“The leave allowance for this academic 2018/2019 is paid effective immediately otherwise second semester grades will be withheld. In addition, supervision of undergraduate dissertations will stop immediately,” the Secretary General emphasized in the letter. “If the leave allowance for this academic 2018/2019 is not paid before or on the 30 September, ASA will revoke the strike action that was suspended.”
He added that the payment of Masters Honorarium, per diem and transportation cost for this academic year is paid effective immediately or no marking of master’s second semester scripts and thesis supervision. “Immediate payments of colleagues on study leave with pay and Research Teaching Assistants for July and August Months,” he said, adding that they want an immediate review of Harmonization of salaries for all NU staff members.
The lecturers resolved that the payment of the remaining percentage of the 400 percent increment of salaries approved over the years and need for a new negotiation to commence.
