ASUU Strike Looms As FG Slashes Lecturers October Salary By Over 50%

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has knocked the federal government for paying partial salaries to lecturers for October.

Many academics on Thursday reported receiving partial salaries although it was not clear if it was a coordinated action from the Federal Government.

The academics were on strike for about eight months this year. The strike action was called off on October 14 in respect of a Court of Appeal order.

The academics had been demanding improved welfare, among other concerns.

In a statement on Thursday, the Chairman of the ASUU branch at the University of Lagos, Dele Ashiru, described the October salaries as “amputated and crippled” payments.

“It is, to say the least, insensitive and disheartening that a supposedly democratic government can be so vicious, reckless and inhuman in dealing with the best brains in our society,” the statement said.

“The leadership of the Union at the National level has been duly informed about this unfortunate development and they are on top of the issue.

“Members are please enjoined to remain calm and await further directives from the National Secretariat even in the face of this bracing provocation and crass wickedness by this administration.

“Please remain strong and undaunted because, a people united, can never be defeated.

“We shall overcome.”

Meanwhile, the ASUU branch at the Gombe State University has ordered its members not to submit results for the 2021/2022 session over the withheld salaries.

In a statement dated November 2, 2022, the branch also said academics should not continue with the supervision of both undergraduate and postgraduate projects allocated before the commencement of the strike action.

The statement was signed by the branch chairperson, Suleiman Salihu Jauro and the branch secretary, Mohammed Garba Ndogu.

As part of efforts to address the issue, ASUU is set to summon an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council, the Punch Newspaper reported on Friday.

Although no date has been fixed for the meeting, according to the paper, a NEC meeting could give impetus to another strike action.

“Half salaries were paid, no reasons were given whatsoever,” ASUU President Emmanuel Osodeke said, as quoted by the Punch Newspaper.

“We learnt that Ngige wrote the office of the Accountant General and Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system and told them to only pay us for the period when we called off the strike.

“We heard there was a letter to that effect but we haven’t gotten it yet. We are going to summon a meeting.”