The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a stern warning of a looming strike if the Bola Tinubu-led administration fails to disburse the withheld salaries of public university lecturers within two weeks.
Emmanuel Osodeke, the President of ASUU, expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the salary issue. He said this during an appearance on a national TV show on Wednesday.
Osodeke criticized the government’s decision to pay only four out of seven-and-a-half months’ worth of withheld salaries, stating that it is unjustifiable given the sacrifices made by lecturers during the 2022 strike.
According to Osodeke, universities across Nigeria have diligently covered the workload missed during the strike period, with academic calendars progressing smoothly.
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Despite this, the government’s partial payment falls short of what ASUU deems fair compensation for their efforts.
However, The ASUU leader said the ultimatum, initiated on May 13, 2024, serves as a stark reminder of the unresolved grievances stemming from the prolonged strike action in 2022.
At that time, academic and non-academic unions embarked on an eight-month strike to address various concerns, including improved welfare conditions, he stated.
While President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration invoked a ‘no work, no pay policy’ against the unions, the subsequent release of only four months’ worth of withheld salaries by President Tinubu has sparked further discontent.
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Osodeke stressed that ASUU members demand full payment for the entire duration of the 2022 industrial action, dismissing the government’s partial payment as insufficient.
He highlighted the government’s lavish spending on road contracts, contrasting it with the comparatively modest request for university workers’ salaries.
Moreover, Osodeke raised concerns about the dissolution of university Governing Councils by the National Universities Commission (NUC) under the directive of President Tinubu.
He described the absence of functional councils as a breeding ground for illegality, citing unauthorized recruitments and contract awards within the past 11 months.
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ASUU’s president emphasized the urgency of reinstating the dissolved Governing Councils and fulfilling other outstanding agreements, signaling a potential escalation of tensions if the government fails to address these grievances within the stipulated timeframe.
As the deadline approaches, ASUU remains resolute in its stance, prepared to take further action if the government fails to address their demands promptly.