The industrial Harmony presently enjoyed in the Nations University system may be heading to the rocks following the decision of the Federal Government to pay lecturers half salaries for the month of October, 2022.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige said the Federal Government cannot go against the “No Work, No Pay” rule as it affects members of ASUU, and that their October salaries were computed on this basis.
Already, the ASUU leadership is said to have summoned an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council in Abuja, to decide its decision to the half October salaries paid by the federal government.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige said the Federal Government cannot go against the “No Work, No Pay” rule as it affects members of ASUU, and that their October salaries were computed on the basis.
According to the National President of ASUU, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said “half salaries were paid no reasons were given whatsoever. Noting that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige wrote to the office of the Accountant General and Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System and told them to only pay them for the period when the strike was called off.
Osodeke further said that, he heard there was a letter to that effect but they haven’t gotten it yet. We are going to summon a meeting.”Anger erupted across the federal universities when members of the union received half salaries in their accounts early this week. This development has caused ASUU members in University of Jos to stay at home indefinitely till when the federal government will pay the pending salaries.
In a statement signed by the branch chairman, Professor Lazarus Maigoro. According to the statement, One of the issues agreed at the meeting was that 50 per cent of the backlog of eight months arrears of their withheld salaries will be paid to the members immediately but as at the time of writing the press release, only 17 days prorated October salary was paid to members of ASUU by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
He said, having stayed for about nine months running now, our members in the University of Jos considered this an insult to them by the Accountant General of the Federation. Is the Accountant General of the Federation actually answerable to the Minister of Labour?
This further creates doubts on our minds as to whether the understanding reached with the leadership of the House of Representatives on some of the issues will be implemented at all by those who are saddled with the responsibility of doing so in order to avoid further needless strikes.
From all indications, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has personalised the matter between him and our union and is on a mission for vendetta.
