FG insists that ASUU received right salary for October 

The Federal Government has said members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU received their rightful salary in October, which was paid on a pro-rata basis.

The Minister of Education,  Mallam Adamu Adamu, made this known  while briefing correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council(FEC) meeting that was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Federal Government denied the allegation that it had indirectly made Nigerian lecturers into casual workers by paying them half salary in October, saying that nobody can make them casual staff.

Recall that ASUU called off the eight month strike it embarked on in  February 14th this year on October 14th and was paid the October salary based on the number of days they worked.

ASUU called off the strike as a result of the judgement passed by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) that ordered the union to resume work before it could entertain its pending case.

ASUU has shown their displeasure at being paid half salary by protesting in various universities in the country. 

But despite protestations from ASUU over pro-rata October salary payment, the federal government on Wednesday,November 16th, insisted that the lecturers were paid what was due them

The government also insisted that the lecturers would not be paid for work not done.

Responding to the allegation made by the President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodoke, suggesting that paying the lecturers on pro-rata basis was a ploy to make them casual workers, the Minister remarked that government has no such plan.

“Nobody can make University lecturers casual workers,” he said.

When told that the lecturers were threatening a one-day action to protest government’s action, Adamu said he was not aware.

He was also mum when asked to comment on the agreement the union entered into with government.

However, a source in the Ministry of Education has debunked claims in some quarters that the Federal Government entered into an agreement with ASUU.

The source said, “I do know that the government entered into agreement with the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), before they suspended their strike, but I am not sure that there was an agreement with ASUU.

“Remember that ASUU only called off the eight month strike because of the court judgement.”