By Victor Ahiumayoung

ANAMBRA — NON-ACADEMIC Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, has decried imposition of taxes on workers by some state governments and educational institutions.

Members of NASU in West African Examinations Council, WAEC/Libraries and other trade group councils at their 2nd regular meeting in Anambra State, also rejected the purported abrogation of an existing agreement between WAEC management and NASU on deployment of serving officers of the union.

In the resolutions at the end of the meeting, the council-in session observed with shock and dismay the pathetic condition of the state and federal libraries in Nigeria, lamenting that the welfare of staff had been jettisoned.

Members called on the federal and state governments to devise a steady means of ensuring an increased flow of resources to the sector, so that the objectives and aspirations for which they were established could be achieved.

According to the resolution, “the council-in-session urged government to increase funding of this important education sector and also called for the approval of an enhanced salary structure for the staff.

Furthermore, the affected state governments and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, are enjoined to support the union’s innovative approach in putting life back into the libraries for the benefit of all and sundry.

On perceived excessive taxation, NASU members said “the council-in-session observed with dismay, the imposition of outrageous high tax regime by some state governments and managements, as a means of generating income at the detriment of the welfare of their workers.

A case in point is the ongoing exploitation of the staff of NABTEB by the management with imposition of illegal tax arrears deductions. The council-in-session, therefore, urged the affected state governments and managements not to use high taxation as a means of exploitation and tool for further pauperisation of the workers whose take-home pay has already been eroded by inflation.

”Members equally frowned at the purported abrogation of an existing agreement between WAEC management and NASU WAEC on deployment of serving officers of the union.Council-in-Session observed with dismay the anomalies, discrimination and dichotomy introduced into the reviewed scheme of service and, therefore, rejected the newly reviewed scheme of service in totality.”

According to the resolution, the council-in-session called on WAEC management under the leadership of Mr. Charles M. Egwuridu to objectively look into these issues and revalidate the agreement reached with the union on non-deployment of serving union officers and expunge all the retrogressive policies imported into the reviewed scheme of service within the 21 days ultimatum given by the union to avoid industrial breakdown in the council.