Several Kaduna State University staff members, both academic and non-academic, have complained about not getting paid for their work.
The workers said that because they were not included on the state’s payroll, they had not received a salary since they started working three years ago.
According to them, this was mainly because of the university’s inability to be financially autonomous following the integration of the university under the office of the state Head of Service during the administration of a former governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai.
Some of the employees who spoke with our correspondent under anonymity for fear of being victimised, said they had also been denied access to the state health insurance scheme, as newly employed workers could not be enrolled in the scheme without their printed monthly pay slips.
One of them, who claimed he was owed for 22 months, said, “After I came back, after the necessary documentation, I was upgraded to (the position) assistant lecturer and confirmed after staying two years but to date, I haven’t been paid.
“The people I travelled with were enrolled into the payment system in February this year whereas my colleagues and I have not been enrolled.
“It has been hard because as an academic staff (member), you are working and then you see your colleagues getting (credit) alerts whereas you are not getting anything. It is demoralising and things are very hard,” the worker added.
Another affected worker said, “I was given an appointment in September last year (2023). Three months later, we were given a variation form to fill out. It was a salary form that captured all our details.
“We thought that by December (2023), we would see our salary but after the first quarter of 2023 and nothing, we began following up with the State House.”
Upon being reached, Hajia Habiba Shekarau, the state Head of Service, said it was better to have a conversation with the university’s administration.
“Please talk to KASU because KASU is an autonomous body,” she said.
Adamu Bargo, the university’s public relations officer, countered that because the state government, not the university, paid the salaries, the university did not have complete authority.
“We urge them to exercise patience as the university is on top of the matter,” he added.