The academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and their counterparts in the polytechnics and Colleges of Education will get N34 billion as arrears of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustments in the education sector effective from 2019.

The Federal Government has said it would pay about N34bn minimum wage consequential adjustments to education sector workers with effect from 2019.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige said that this was aimed at resolving the lingering crisis in the sector, NAN reports.

Ngige made this known while speaking with newsmen on the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and others on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Ngige, the universities would get N23.5 billion the polytechnics N6 billion and the Colleges of Education N4 billion, totalling about N34 billion.

The minister, while giving an update on the ongoing strike, said committees were set up during the last tripartite meeting of the government and university-based unions.

He said they were given a fortnight to turn in their report, adding they were still working and the reports of the committees were being expected at the end of the week.

“Those committees are working. The one on National Information Technology Development Agency is testing the three platforms-the government’s Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, the University Transparency Accountability Solution of ASUU and the Universities Peculiar Personnel Payroll System of the non-teaching staff.

“They started the testing last Thursday. The National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission has issued its amendment circulars. The unions also have copies to take care of responsibility and hazard allowances wherever it has not been properly captured.”

Ngige assured that there may be likely wage adjustments as the government intensifies efforts to streamline wages through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

He appealed to ASUU and other unions to suspend their strike so that academic activities could resume in public universities across the country.