FG To Punish ASUU Members; Talks Tough

By Akinwale Kasali

The Federal Government says it will punish members of the Academic Staff Union Of Universities, ASUU, declaring their ongoing two week strike as illegal, and contravenes the Civil Service engagement law.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, made this declaration in Abuja.

The Federal government says the warning strike that began on Monday, 9th March, 2020, is illegal and a pure act of corruption, insubordination, care free attitude, because the union failed to notify it before embarking on the strike.

The Union has been at loggerheads with the government over the directive to enroll its members into the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System, IPPIS. ASUU says its members will not register.

National President of the union, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, declared the warning strike after ASUU National Executive Council meeting in Enugu last week, but the Federal Government took the threat with a pinch of salt.

Ngige told Pressmen after the FEC meeting that employees cannot dictate to their employers insisting that due processes must be followed before embarking on strike action.

Ngige said, “I am in shock. The strike is illegal because they did not give us the mandatory notice.

“If you withdraw services and you still want to be paid, it is corruption. Is that not corruption?”

He, however, said he would meet with the leadership of the Union with the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation and hopes that the matter would be resolved.

He said: “So to solve the dilemma, I have invited them to the meeting for,  I have invited the minister of education, their principal employer, the finance ministry and the accountant general of the federation.

“So, we will meet and discuss the way forward because no employee is empowered to dictate to his employer on how he or she should be paid.

“There is an ILO convention on it. The important thing is that you receive your compensation for services rendered or work done as and when due.

“So, we hope to solve the problems. ASUU are Nigerians, they are patriotic but tomorrow we hope to engage them.’’