The Kano state Executive Council has granted approval for the implementation of a new minimum wage for academic and non-academic staff of the state’s two universities.
The state’s Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, who disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Thursday, in Kano, said the approval came with a monthly release of N49, 695, 509.26.
The commissioner, however, said that accumulated arrears from the time of the approval of the new salary structure to date would be determined when the current financial situation of the state improved.
He said the two institutions, Yusuf Maitama Sule University and the Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, would receive a monthly allocation of N24, 560, 479.72 and N25, 135, 029.54 respectively.
According to him, the approval was for the Consolidated University Academic Staff Salary Structure II (CONUASS II) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure II (CONTISS II).
Garba said the council had also approved the award of contract for the supply and installation of two 1,500 KVA generating sets at Watari 75mld Water Treatment Plant.
He said that the approval of the contract was to address the acute water supply shortage to the towns and villages served by the plant.
The commissioner said the contract worth N355, 027, 831.20 was awarded for the treatment plant designed to serve Watari-Kano Pipeline, Watari-Bagwai Pipeline and Watari-Tsanyawa pipeline each with separate pumping outlets.
Garba also disclosed that approval had been given by the council for the release of 11 resident doctors to pursue Residency Training Programme in different fields of specialisation, at various teaching hospitals in the state.
The commissioner stated that the medical doctors who are on permanent and pensionable appointment under the state Hospitals Management Board, secured admissions at either the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital or the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
He said the training programme was to enable the medical officers graduate as consultants in their various fields of specialization, under the state government’s sponsorship and bonding policy.
Garba said that the policy stipulated the payment of monthly salary and annual project/book allowance of N372 thousand for the duration of the programme.
He said the council also approved the creation of an additional department at the state Contributory Healthcare Management Board, to handle the processing of claims for a fee from facilities, without using a Health Maintenance Organisation.
The commissioner disclosed that the measure saved the agency substantial amounts of resources, as well as complied with Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and the National Health Act.
The Act, he said, prohibited the engagement of third-party administrators, to handle the processing of claims.
NAN
