ASUU MULLS SIT-AT-HOME AS FG BEGINS PAYMENT OF 8-MONTH SALARY ARREARS TO CONUA 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been mulling sit-at-home over the payment of half salary to its members by the federal government.

Reports had it that the National Executive Council of ASUU will meet in Abuja today, Monday, November 7, 2022, to discuss the payment of half-salaries to the lecturers.

The meeting will be held at the union’s headquarters at the University of Abuja.

Recall that on Friday, October 16, 2022, ASUU suspended its eight-month-old strike which had shut down public universities in the country to demand full implementation of agreements it had entered into with the Federal Government a few years ago.

While the ASUU strike lasted, the federal government had insisted on implementing the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy when the university teachers were away from their duty posts.

However, things took a new turn last Thursday, November 3, 2022, when it was gathered that the government only paid half-month salaries to the university teachers.

Following that, some branches across the country have held a congress to decide on the next steps to take.

The branch at the University of Jos, for instance, resolved that the lecturers stay home pending the payment of withheld salaries by the government; the branch at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University resolved that the 2021-2022 academic session be abolished, and the Gombe State University ASUU resolved that the examination results of students be seized.

A member of the NEC who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “Officially, the national body did not tell branches to hold congress, but many of them started calling meetings following the receipt of the amputated salary by the government. We don’t have to go on strike; there are lots of options available.”

When asked about the options available, the member said, “We can decide to stay at home, we can decide to seize results, or we can decide to cancel the session since the government won’t pay the withheld salary and we can’t work for months that we weren’t paid for.”

Meanwhile, the FG has commenced plans to pay the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) their withheld salaries and rectify the “half salaries” paid to all lecturers under the newly registered union for the month of October 2022.

A member of CONUA and lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, who spoke to Daily Trust anonymously on Sunday night, said the leadership of the union has already got a hint from the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.

The official also said the minister has assured members of the new union that they would start receiving alerts as from Monday, adding that he also pledged that the issue of “half salaries” paid to them would be resolved.

“We were not part of the last strike. We had earlier written to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. So, the minister has looked into our letter, and he has directed accordingly,” the official said.

Efforts to reach National Coordinator of CONUA, Niyi Sunmonu, proved abortive as calls to his mobile phone did not connect. He was yet to respond to a text message sent to him as at when filing this report.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Minister, Olajide Oshundun, confirmed that CONUA members would be paid provided they were not part of the strike that lasted eight months.

He maintained that those who participated in the strike would not be paid since the policy of No-work-no-pay’ still remains.

“What I can tell you authoritatively as a spokesperson is that, the policy of ‘No-work-no-pay’ remains. It has not changed because it is a constitutional matter. It is equally recognised by the Charter of ILO, that when people go on strike, they cannot be paid.

“So, if CONUA did not go on strike, they’re entitled to their money. But if they participated in the strike, they too will not be paid. If they were not on strike, legally and conditionally, they are entitled to their pay. I’m looking at it from the point of law,” he said.