The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued a order to the Vice-Chancellors of public universities across the country participating in the ongoing strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to enforce a “no-work-no-pay” rule on the striking lecturers.
This was communicated through a memo addressed to the university heads by the National Universities Commission (NUC), EduCeleb.com gathered.
A copy of the memo signed by the NUC Director of Research, Information and Technology S.B Ramon-Yusuf emphasised that the directive must be obeyed as the payment of salaries from any other sources aside government funding will be viewed as a violation of extant rules and government directive. This no-work-no-pay rule does not affect non-academics.
The memo reads thus, “In view of the current Industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the federal government has directed that there shall be no payment of any form of salaries and allowances to the staff on strike in federal and inter-varsity centers.
“Consequently, I am to direct Vice-Chancellors to apply the “No-work-no-pay” rule. However, Universities and inter-varsity centers are to pay salaries and allowances to Non-teaching staff.
“All Vice Chancellors and Directors of centers should note that the salaries to staff on strike from whatever source of funds shall be viewed as violation of extant rules and directive of the federal government of Nigeria.”
EduCeleb.com recalls that ASUU had on November 4 declared an indefinite nationwide strike over non-implementation of previous agreements by the federal government, especially pertaining to the revitalisation funds meant for the institutions.
Following a strike in 2013, the leadership of ASUU had reached an agreement that N1.3 trillion be released to the Nigerian University System to cater for infrastructure and research.
The funds were supposed to be released in tranches of 200 billion in the first year and 220 billion in subsequent years over a five year period. But only the initial 200 billion was released in 2014. It took another ASUU Strike in 2017 before the federal government released an additional 20 billion.
Negotiations with the University lecturers towards ending the strike is yet to yield a positive result.
Meanwhile, ASUU is yet to react to this development as at the time of filing this report as a text message sent to the ASUU National President, Biodun Ogunyemi has not been replied.
