ASUU STRIKE: Different strokes as “No work, no pay” policy enters 2nd month

The Federal Government directive that salaries of striking lecturers of Nigerian Universities be witheld has been fully complied with, Tribune Education can authoritatively reveal. Even though the directive was issued to the governing Councils of Federal Government-owned universities, many state governments were also discovered to be owing a backlog of salaries similar to that of the Federal Government even

though reasons other than the Presidential directive of “No work, No pay” is said to be responsible. TAYO LEWIS, Editor, Education; Yinka Olukoya, Abeokuta, Ebenezer Adurokiya, Warri, Clement Idoko, Abuja and Adelowo Oladipo, Minna report.

The Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Professor Musbau A. Akanji, has confirmed that the Federal Government has commenced the withholding of the salaries of some members of the striking Academic Union of the Universities (ASUU) in the Institution , in compliance with the Presidency’s directive that the salaries of the Universities Lecturers should be stopped forthwith.

He stated this in a brief telephone interview with the Tribune Education on Tuesday in Minna, the state capital, adding that the personnel cost of all Federal Universities was being borne entirely by the Federal Government.

“In fact, the salary of Academic Staff was not released by the Federal Government as at the end of September, 2013. Therefore, they (ASUU members) could not be paid for the period,” said Prof. Akanji.

However concerted efforts to speak with the Vice Chancellor, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, a state University at Lapai, Niger state, Professor Ibrahim Kolo was futile.

Prof. Kolo did not reply a text message sent to him, just as several calls made to his GSM telephone wee not answered as at the time of filing this report on Tuesday morning.

The Niger State government has however said that anything to do with the welfare and administration , with regards to the striking Lecturers of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, resides within the purview of the Governing Council of the institution as well as the management of the university.

It made the clarification while speaking through the state’s Commissioner for Tertiary Institution, Dr. Bashar Muhammad in an interview with the Tribune Education in Minna the state capital, highlighting that this step was being taken by the Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu-led administration in the state with a view to ensuring that an enabling environment was provided.

“And whatever that needs to go to the State’s Executive Council meeting, I will serve as the link on their behalf and to ensure that the information gets to the Visitor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu . But mostly, the Governing Council and the managements of the various universities in the state, autonomous on what they do with their funds and even on capital projects and recurrent expenditure . This is only known to them and their appropriate authorities” he stated.

Bashar added that just like any other university, that the Audit Department of IBBUL, both internal and external were to ensure judicious utilisation of their funds , saying that “as a ministry, all that we need to do is to provide the enabling environment provided for the institutions and to synergise in areas that they need re-enhancement and the areas whereby they have challenges.”

Accordingly he said, “ours was actually to ensure that there is a kind of harmonious co-existence in all the state and Federal Universities in Niger State and with the view that things work well”, emphasising that that has been his ministry’s interaction with the various arms of the tertiary institutions existing in the state so that there will be fresh air between them and the government.”

Meanwhile Education Tribune gathered that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, have not been paid their August and Septembers salaries.

A source within the univeristy system stated that there is a sharing ratio between the government and the institution. The state government, according to him is expected to pay 70 per cent while the university pays 30 per cent.

He said that while they (lecturers) had received their July salaries in full, 30 per cent was paid by the school in August without government paying its part of the balance of 70 per cent.

The source also stated that the institution is making efforts to pay its part for September while nothing has been heard from the state government.

Education Tribune investigations revealed that most state governments across the country are blaming their inability to pay the lecturers on the non-release of federal allocations from Abuja by the Federal Allocations Committee. The fact that the lecturers are on a strike action is also serving as a good excuse for non-payment lecturers at the Bayero University, Kano, University of Abuja, Abuja, Federal University of Technology, Owerri and Federal University, Oye Ekiti also have issues with their salaries.

Meanwhile, as the industrial action persists and the Federal Government is insisting on no work, no pay, coupled with the none release of Federal allocation to states, academics in Delta State University (DELSU) have said that the state government is not owing them a dime.

The Chairman of ASUU in the university, Comrade Emmanuel Mordi, informed Tribune Education that the lecturers had just received their September salary a few days ago, stating that the state government is doing well in that area.

Speaking with chairman of ASUU in the university, Comrade Emmanuel Mordi, on phone, the don informed that lecturers just received their September salary a few days ago, stating that the state government is doing well in that area.

“we are getting our salary as and when due. In fact, we just received our September salary. We are not being owed,” the chairman stated.

While speaking on the plight of lecturers in the pay roll of the federal government, the comrade noted that the federal government is devising means to break the strike through starvation of lecturers.

“We learnt that our counterparts in federal universities are being denied their salaries because of the ongoing strike action. their intention is to break them to submission. They are making an error. The FG is only complicating issues with their obnoxious mantra of “no work no pay.”

Dr Mordi added that if the FG is saying no work no pay, ASUU is also saying “no pay, no work.”