This was as he pointed out that, the, “No work, no pay”
policy of the government shows the authorities lack an understanding of the
nature of the contract between the lecturers and their employers.
He stated this while reacting to Wednesday’s Federal
Government-ASUU court judgement, in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on
Thursday.
He said, “When a matter leaves the round and peaceful
negotiation table to the Court, it becomes difficult to predict the possible
end of the imbroglio. It has therefore become obvious that the Federal Government
of Nigeria has clearly declared war against academic staff in Nigerian Federal
Universities using the weapons of forced labour, hunger and starvation through
non-payment of outstanding 7 months’ salaries.
“The “No work, No pay” policy of Federal Government implies government illiteracy on University Administration or FGN does not take into cognizance, the peculiar nature of the contract between University lecturers and their employers. It is therefore embarrassing that rather than confront the main issues with the urgency they demand, the Federal Government has been introducing obnoxious diversionary and distractive policies to divert the focus of ASUU from objective positions of the union to frivolities.
“The introduction of IPPIS and imposing the fraudulent payment platform on universities workers without integrity testing by NITDA and the current no work, no pay policy are clear indications of unwillingness to implement the agreements FGN willingly signed in 1981, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2009 and the several Memoranda of Understanding of 2013 and 2017 with the Memoranda of Action of 2019 and 2020. There were also two concluded reports that were submitted by Federal Government’s inaugurated Renegotiation Committee led by Prof. Muzali Jubril in 2021 and Emeritus Prof. Nimi Dimkpa Briggs without any consideration.
“It is therefore not surprising that while the Government inaugurated committee had submitted their report to their principal and waiting for the outcome and approval of a job well done, the Federal Minister of Education came up with a “take it or leave it” salary award that is not in tandem with collective bargaining principles, which also negates the FGN/ASUU Agreement of 1981. Recall that the same government had set up a 14-man committee to review the Prof Nimi Briggs Committee report and while the committee is still at work, the Federal Minister of Labour and Productivity took the matter to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, because he informed that it was not the Federal Government that took ASUU to Court.”
He added, “Today, the NIC has ordered ASUU to call off the
ongoing strike and return to the classroom with empty stomachs and unpaid bills
pending the determination of the suit filed against the union by the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, it has become difficult to hold government responsible and true to
their word because NASU and SSANU were promised to be paid their salary when
they resume work and it has been over a month without any light of hope or
fidelity. Going to Court has implications in further delaying the negotiation
process and will definitely postpone the day of joy for Nigerian university
workers, students and parents.