Kaduna tertiary workers demand 30% salary arrears

The Joint Unions of Tertiary Institutions of Kaduna State (JUTIKS) have renewed pressure on the state government to pay workers the outstanding 30 per cent of the CONPCASS/CONTEDISS salary structure.

The unions said the unpaid balance was due despite Governor Uba Sani’s earlier commitment to complete its implementation by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

JUTIKS Chairman, Usman Suleiman, disclosed this on Wednesday at a press briefing held after the union’s meeting at Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria.

Suleiman acknowledged the state government’s implementation of 70 per cent of the salary structure in October 2025, describing the move as commendable.

He, however, said the failure to implement the remaining 30 per cent had become a major concern for workers across Kaduna-owned tertiary institutions.

The meeting was attended by representatives of unions from Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya, Kaduna State College of Nursing Sciences and Shehu Idris College of Health Sciences, Makarfi.

JUTIKS also called for the payment of the 25 per cent and 35 per cent Federal Government wage allowances to eligible workers in the state institutions.

The union demanded an establishment circular to formalise the retirement age of 65 years or 40 years of service for non-teaching staff.

It further sought tax exemption for Academic Earned Allowance and the implementation of tool allowances for both academic and non-teaching employees.

Suleiman said academic staff were entitled to the Consolidated Academic Tool Allowance (CATA), pegged at 40 per cent of the full CONPCASS, while non-teaching staff should receive the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tool Allowance (CONTTA), representing 35 per cent of the full CONTEDISS.

According to him, the allowances had already been endorsed through agreements between the Federal Government and organised labour, making their implementation imperative.

The JUTIKS chairman said addressing the outstanding demands would boost staff morale and improve working conditions in the institutions.

He also argued that implementing the measures would bring Kaduna’s tertiary institutions into greater alignment with standards set by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

Suleiman appealed to the state government to resolve the issues promptly, saying improved welfare was critical to sustaining industrial peace and uninterrupted academic activities across Kaduna’s tertiary institutions.