The Federal Government has directed all vice chancellors of federal universities to enforce the “no work, no pay” policy against lecturers participating in the ongoing two-week warning strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
In a circular issued by the Ministry of Education on Monday, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, ordered university heads to compile attendance records and withhold salaries of lecturers who joined the strike.
To ensure compliance, the vice chancellors were instructed to conduct a physical headcount and roll call of all academic staff, prepare a detailed report identifying those who continued working and withhold salaries of staff who participated in the strike.
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However, the ministry said members of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA)—two breakaway unions not participating in the strike—were to be exempted from salary deductions.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has also been directed to monitor compliance and submit a consolidated report to the Ministry within seven days.
Alausa urged the vice chancellors to handle the directive “with utmost urgency and a deep sense of responsibility in the national interest,” stressing the need to safeguard the stability and integrity of Nigeria’s higher education sector.
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Reacting, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, said the union would not be intimidated by threats, insisting the strike would continue until its demands are met.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned the government to withdraw the directive or risk a nationwide shutdown, expressing solidarity with ASUU.
Dr. Alausa maintained that the government had met all of ASUU’s demands, including the release of N50 billion in earned allowances and N150 billion for university revitalization, describing the strike as unnecessary.