The Federal Government has warned that it will enforce the “no work, no pay” policy if the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) goes ahead with its planned 2-week strike scheduled to start on Monday.
The government in in a joint statement issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, insisted that dialogue remains the most viable route to resolving outstanding issues in the tertiary education sector.
According to the statement, the government has already made a comprehensive offer to the union addressing its key concerns, ranging from welfare and working conditions to institutional governance and is still awaiting ASUU’s official response.
Presidential interventions
The ministers said President Bola Tinubu’s administration has demonstrated “commitment and sincerity” through several interventions in the education sector, including the approval of a robust teaching allowance aimed at motivating lecturers across public universities.
- They added that all matters relating to the review of conditions of service have been duly addressed, except those under the jurisdiction of individual university governing councils, which are being handled at that level.
- However, they noted that despite the government’s overtures and pending engagements, ASUU appears determined to proceed with industrial action.
- The ministers stressed that such a decision would leave the government with no choice but to implement the “no work, no pay” rule as provided under Nigerian labour law.
“While government remains committed to peaceful dialogue, it will equally enforce existing laws to protect the integrity of our education system and ensure accountability,” the statement read.
Welfare of lecturers
The ministers said the Tinubu administration remains dedicated to the welfare of lecturers and the stability of the university system, noting that its ongoing reforms are anchored on fairness, accountability, and institutional strengthening.
They also reiterated that certain aspects of ASUU’s demands especially those concerning internal governance, appointments, and promotions fall within the statutory responsibilities of university governing councils.
“The government has shown sincerity and commitment through engagements and policy actions. We are confident that, with continued dialogue, every legitimate concern can be addressed and resolved without shutting down our campuses. Our students must remain in school,” they added.
Backstory
Nairametrics earlier reported that ASUU had rejected the Federal Government’s last-minute appeal to halt its planned warning strike scheduled to begin on October 13, describing the intervention as a little too late.
- The ASUU President, Professor Chris Piwuna, while speakingduring an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he accused the government of neglecting the union’s long-standing demands despite multiple opportunities to engage.
- Professor Piwuna criticized the Ministry of Education for what he described as its habitual delay in addressing critical issues affecting university lecturers.
- He explained that after a meeting held in Sokoto weeks ago, the union had given the government a three-week window to address its grievances. However, he said there was no form of communication or effort from the government within that period.
