The Joint Union of Plateau State-owned Tertiary Institutions (JUPTI) has expressed dismay over the continued deconsolidation of salaries despite the earlier agreements reached between the body and the State government for such to be discontinued.

JUPTI called on the government to honor the agreement so that industrial harmony can be maintained and sustained.

The body in a communique issued at the end of its regular meeting held at the College of Health Technology, Zawan, Jos South local government area and signed by Comrade Sunoe Longbaam and Comrade John Jilang it’s Chairman and Secretary respectively, listed the numerous issues which government has reneged on its agreement and called for a stop.

According to the duo, “JUPTI during its meeting held on the 25th of January 2023 deliberated extensively on the agreement reached with the Plateau State Government dated 23rd August 2022 on some lingering issues. For the sake of industrial peace and harmony, we resolved that government should without further delay, expedite action on the implementation of the agreement signed with the Unions as stated hereunder:

“The Council-in-session calls for the immediate constitution of the PLASCHEMA Board and the stoppage of deduction in respect of couples affected. The government should effect the immediate implementation of the 7% and 5% peculiar allowance as agreed upon without any further delay. The Council while thanking the government for the implementation of the 2021/2022 promotion, however, resolved that all the attended arrears be paid immediately.

“Government should pay the 25% TSA withheld funds accruing to Tertiary institutions as the issue is long overdue. Council-in-session frowns at the delay in approving the release of payment of the 24 months’ pension arrears to the benefiting retirees of our respective institutions.

“The Council-in-session again frowns at the way and manner salaries are paid without accompanying Third Party Deductions; resolved that the Plateau State Board of Internal Revenue Service be mandated to come up with accurate tax revenue to avoid irregular taxation; and appealed that government should hasten the administrative process of salary decentralization.”

The body further urged the government to “hasten the domestication of the Polytechnic Act for the effective running of our institutions” even as it observed, “with utmost concern the continued disregard for capital budget provisions for the tertiary institutions.”

The duo stated, “It has been noted with nostalgia how the yearly budget is prepared and defended before the Ministry and the State House of Assembly and subsequently signed into appropriation act but at the end of the year, no single release is made to these tertiary institutions.

“This has resulted in an infrastructural decay in almost all the Plateau State-owned tertiary institutions. This is not acceptable to the union; thus, we demand that full releases are made to help fund accreditation and reaccreditation of our academic programs and convocations to enable graduands to get their certificates.

“The Council-in-session expressed dismay over the deconsolidation of our salaries even when several agreements were reached to that effect. The consolidated salary should be implemented as approved to maintain and sustain industrial harmony.”