The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) national leadership and chapters claimed they have not been notified on the last Friday’s approval granted by President Bola Tinubu to pay four months of salary accruals out of the eight months of their withheld salaries. The Nation learnt from members yesterday that the union’s National Executive Council may meet early next month to take a decision on the matter, Bola Olajuwon, Victoria Amadi, Chris Njoku, Adekunle Jimoh, Toba Adedeji, Sola Shittu, Ahmed Rufa’I and Elo Edremoda report
Many parents and university students were delighted when President Bola Tinubu last Friday approved the partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order instituted against striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), following their eight-month strike, which began on February 14, 2022, and was terminated on October 17, 2022.
Almost a week after the president’s announcement, ASUU and its members are yet to take any position on the approval of the four months salaries. The members are protesting the condition attached to the proposed payment by government. Some members noted that the move was in “a positive light”. Others said the condition attached was “wrong” “because what warranted the strike was their demand for implementation of already signed agreements that government had failed to implement. The last clause in the President’s directive, they said, that the union needs to sign up not to go on strike again “is a total no”.
But, the Nation learnt that “the National Executive Council (NEC) has scheduled its meeting for the first week of November” to discuss the matter.
A statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, had told the citizenry that the waiver “will allow for the previously striking members of ASUU to receive four months of salary accruals out of the eight months of salary, which was withheld during the eight-month industrial action undertaken by the union”.
The statement was titled: ‘President Tinubu approves partial waiver of the no work, no pay order on ASUU members; orders release of four months of withheld salary.’
The President directed the grant of the waiver with a mandatory requirement that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment must secure a Document of Understanding establishing that this exceptional waiver granted by the President will be the last one to be granted to ASUU and other education sector unions.
Ngelale said the President, while invoking the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, sought to “mitigate the difficulties being felt during the implementation of key economic reforms in the country, as well as his recognition of the faithful implementation of terms, which were agreed upon during the deliberations between ASUU and the Federal Government”.
But, investigation by The Nation showed that the national leadership of ASUU, the union’s chapters and members have not taken a decision whether to accept or reject the president’s offer. As at yesterday, the national union and chapters are still collating the views of members across the country on the offer.
ASUU National leadership: we have not been contacted
In an interview with The Nation, ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke said the association is yet to get an invite or notification from the Federal Government or Federal Ministry of Education on the waiver.
“We just heard the news from the media just as you heard. We have not been contacted or notified about the waiver,” he said.
Obafemi Awolowo University: we do not comment on media reports
When contacted, the Chairman of ASUU, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Comrade Tony Odiwe, declined comments on the development.
He noted: “My chapter does not comment on media reports that are yet to manifest. There’s nothing to comment about!.”
National ASUU must react first, says Gombe varsity
Gombe State University ASUU chairman, Dr. Suleiman Salihu Jauro, while speaking with The Nation on phone, said the union has not taken a position on it yet.
“You see when an issue like this comes up, it is not for the branch to react. Our national body must react first and they must seek our input. It is only after we meet with them that we can take a unanimous position. After that, I can state our position on the matter,” he said.
Jauro said a meeting of ASUU NEC has been scheduled for the first week of November “and I am sure that will be part of the agenda”.
UNILORIN: we are yet to deliberate
University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) ASUU Chairman Dr. Alex Akanmu said that the branch is yet to deliberate on the Federal Government’s approval. Dr. Akanmu added: “You know we have the national executive committee (NEC). It’s the NEC that will take that decision not the branch.
“For instance at our congress, we will discuss that so that we can push our position at the NEC meeting. ASUU has not officially communicated anything to us. We are still looking and discussing the issue.”
A member of the union at the university also spoke in the same token.
“We are yet to discuss that. The zonal meeting will be coming up this weekend. Until they feed us back,” the member said.
FUD chapter: we can’t talk to media
The Chairman of ASUU, Federal University Dutse (FUD) Chapter, Jigawa State, Dr. Saleem Ahmed, said neither government nor ASUU national headquarter officially contacted them over the said approval.
The chairman, who made the disclosure in an interview with our reporter in Jigawa State, said: “Frankly speaking, we don’t have the right to talk to media or public with regard to that. We are still waiting for the national headquartres’ response. Up to this moment, ASUU at the national level has not said anything.
“We must wait for them to make their position known before we can have an opportunity to talk to journalist or other members of the society.”
We ’ve not been communicated, says ASUU zonal coordinator
ASUU Zonal Coordinator Prof. Dennis Aribodor said the Federal Government has not officially communicated the association on the matter. He said it is only when the body is officially communicated that the union would react.
He said: “We have not been officially communicated on the issue. It is only when we are communicated that we can react or make our position known as a union. So, as the zonal coordinator, I have not been officially communicated. All we have heard so far was reports from newspapers and social media. So, we cannot react base on that.”
Four months waiver ‘diversionary, wrong’
ASUU members at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) described the four-month salary arrears waiver pronouncement as “diversionary” and “wrong” while welcoming the intent.
Speaking with The Nation in Warri, the Chairperson of ASUU, Dr. Wilfred Okologume, disclosed that members are protesting the condition attached to the proposed payment by government.
Noting that the move was in “positive light,” Okologume posited that the condition attached was “wrong” “because what warranted the strike was our demand for implementation of already signed agreements that government had ab initio failed to implement and the introduction of IPPIS platform, which is alien to the university system and an aberration to the University Miscellaneous Act.”
He maintained that due to the tripartite nature of the academia, even while the strike was ongoing, members were working. Hence, suspending their salaries was wrong.
“Even if it were to be the eight months’ salary, the last clause in the President’s directive that we need to sign up not to go on strike again is a total ‘no’. All those do not have anything to do with collective bargaining.
“We are happy with regards to the intent, but we are not happy with what has been done. Although the union’s organs would meet to take an appropriate stand. I can tell you from the feeders among our members here, nobody is happy with what has been done, most especially with regards to the last clause, putting condition to such payment.
“A lot of members are even of the position that if you pay eight months with that condition, it still does not make sense because for that condition to stand, government should also introduce a condition that they will implement previous signed agreements. And if agreements are implemented, we must not go on strike; otherwise, we will go on strike,” Okologume stated.
UNIBEN: we are not commenting yet
University of Benin (UNIBEN) ASUU Chairman Dr. Ray Chikogu said: “We are not commenting on this yet because they’ve not written to us. It’s only on social media. It’s not yet official. It’s until we are carried along that we would have official statement on the development.”
ASUU member, Dr. Isaac Udoh Abia State Polytechnic, said: “ASUU is a very well-structured organisation and will exhaust all available democratic means to decide on the way forward. I personally believe ASUU should take what is on the table, and negotiate for the remainder.”
CONUA: ASUU should opt for what is good for members
The Congress of Nigerian University Academics President (CONUA), Niyi Sumonu, urged ASUU to opt for what is good for its members.
His words: “I think it will amount to meddlesomeness if CONUA is to comment on the matter to our sister union. It should know what is good for her members and CONUA should know what is good for hers too.
“That said, CONUA members are entitled to all the seven and a half months of the withheld salaries as it did not declare any strike action and has consistently maintained that position, even before the commencement of the strike action embarked upon by our sister union. This is being taken up with the relevant agencies of the government. “
AFED to Fed Govt: pay all outstanding salaries
National President, Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), Mr. Kanu Emmanuel Orji, has appealed to the Federal Government to pay ASUU members all their outstanding salary.
“I want to appeal that all their money be paid. The country as we speak now is impoverishing more than ever. This eight months’ salary if paid, may not be able to buy for them what two months’ salary could afford them five months ago. Inflation rate is now over 27%, from about 18% within the short time. “Dollar to naira rate relationship is changing by the day. Everyday introduces an irreconcilable difference in rate and is still flying apart.
“We shouldn’t contemplate asking them to forego any at all, except we are not sincere.
“Again, I want to appeal to the lecturers to work hard to compensate the students for time lost during the strike. This country is already under serious tension and no fresh one should be negotiated in the form of disagreement on this issue,” he said.
