ASUU Members Won’t Be Paid For Strike Period —FG

The Federal Government has insisted that it will not pay the backlog of salaries demanded by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for the period of the ongoing strike, describing the unpaid salaries as a penalty meant to discourage future industrial actions.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, stated this during a ministerial media briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to the minister, the Federal Government deliberately turned down ASUU’s demand to be paid for the five months spent on strike so that lecturers would “think twice” before embarking on similar actions in the future.

He added that President Muhammadu Buhari has flatly rejected the request for the payment of withheld salaries, insisting that the policy of no work, no pay must apply.

Adamu explained that the government’s position was informed by what he described as huge investments in the education sector. He disclosed that the current administration had spent about ₦6 trillion on education through capital and recurrent expenditures.

He further stated that agencies such as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) had also expended ₦2.6 trillion and ₦553 billion respectively.

The minister also noted that federal universities still retain and control their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He disclosed that several university-based unions, including:

• Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)

• Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU)

• National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT)

• Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP)

• Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU)

have already reached agreements with the Federal Government and are expected to call off their strikes within a week.

According to him, all major issues between the government and ASUU have been resolved except the union’s insistence that its members must be paid for the period of the strike.

He said:

“All contentious issues between the government and ASUU have been settled except the quest for members’ salaries for the period of strike to be paid, a demand that Mr President has flatly rejected.”

The minister also confirmed that negotiations are ongoing on the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU–FG agreement, expressing optimism that the outcome would restore lasting peace on Nigerian campuses.

Adamu further revealed that integrity tests carried out on the proposed university payroll systems showed that the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System (U3PS) and the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) performed better than the former payroll platform, and assured that the peculiar needs of universities would be accommodated in the final system.

He added that ASUU had commenced internal consultations with its members on whether to suspend the ongoing strike.

Related Article: Strike: FG must pay us our four month salary arrears, SSANU insists

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Has the Federal Government agreed to pay ASUU members their withheld salaries?

No. The Federal Government has clearly stated that it will not pay the backlog of salaries owed to ASUU members during the strike period.

Why is the government refusing to pay the salary arrears?

According to the Minister of Education, the unpaid salaries are meant to serve as a deterrent to discourage future strikes and enforce the no work, no pay policy.

Which unions have already reached agreements with the Federal Government?

Unions such as SSANU, NASU, NAAT, ASUP and COEASU have reached common ground with the Federal Government and are expected to suspend their strikes.

What is the only unresolved issue between ASUU and the Federal Government?

The only remaining issue is ASUU’s demand that its members should be paid for the months spent on strike, which the government and the President have rejected.

Is the Federal Government still negotiating with ASUU?

Yes. The government confirmed that negotiations, including the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU agreement, are ongoing, and ASUU has also begun consultations with its members on whether to call off the strike.