The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has voiced its apprehensions regarding the non-disbursement of nearly eight months’ worth of salaries for university lecturers, which were withheld due to the 2022 strike action carried out by the union.
ASUU President Emmanuel Osodeke issued a statement expressing these concerns, emphasizing that the salary withholding is just one of several challenges plaguing the Nigerian University System (NUS).
These issues were deliberated upon during the National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Maiduguri from Saturday, August 19th to Sunday, August 20th, 2023.
Osodeke highlighted that the union’s position remains steadfast against the application of the “No-Work-No-Pay” policy to academics, stating that the policy does not consider the specific circumstances of the strike action.
He pointed out that only the teaching aspect of academics’ work was halted during the strike, and the academic community has since compensated for the missed period under severe economic conditions.
The union extended its appreciation to Nigerian academics for their resilience despite the economic, social, and emotional challenges stemming from the unpaid salaries.
ASUU attributed its previous strike actions to successive government failures to honor agreements and memoranda established through collective bargaining principles, as enshrined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and incorporated into Nigeria’s labor law.
With this backdrop, ASUU called upon the government under President Bola Tinubu to expedite the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU/FGN Agreement in accordance with the recommendations of the Professor Nimi Briggs Committee. This move is aimed at restoring the integrity of the Nigerian University System.
The statement acknowledged ongoing efforts to secure the release of the withheld salaries and urged national leadership, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), to join forces in achieving this outcome. ASUU believes that releasing the unpaid salaries would significantly boost the morale of Nigerian university educators.
The statement further addressed the issue of promotion arrears owed to members, attributing the delay to complications arising from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS) system.
Despite the union’s efforts and those of university administrations, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has not addressed the matter.
ASUU called upon the OAGF to promptly release the accumulated promotion arrears to members for the sake of industrial harmony.
The statement also touched on various challenges within the Nigerian education system, including the departure of experienced academics due to unfavorable conditions, issues related to appointments and promotions, autonomy of universities, and more.
Finally, ASUU urged the government to reject pervasive neo-liberal policies, prioritize human development through adequate funding of education and healthcare, and invest in the oil and gas industry’s capacities for the benefit of the economy and the nation at large.