FG Warns ASUU: Go On Strike, Lose Your Pay

The Federal Government has scolded the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, over its resolve to embark on a two-week warning strike. The strike action commences on Monday, according to an earlier statement by the University teachers.

The administration has however warned that the lecturers would not be paid for the period of the strike, if they failed to listen to the government appeal to them to abandon the strike.

The government in a statement on Sunday accused ASUU of abandoning dialogue, saying the contending issues cannot be resolved through confrontations.

ASUU should return to the negotiating table, instead of throwing the nation’s public universities into another strike, the government said in a statement  signed by Folashade Boriowo, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education.

The government also assured parents and guardians of its readiness to maintain industrial harmony in the nation’s ivory towers, saying it will ensure that the nation’s tertiary education is of high standard to the benefits of the nation.

“The Ministers further stressed that the government has continued to prioritize the welfare of university staff and the stability of the academic calendar under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

“According to them, dialogue remains the most effective and sustainable path to resolving disagreements, and government remains open to engagement at any level to prevent unnecessary disruption in the education sector.

“They, however, emphasised that the “no work, no pay” policy remains an extant labour law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the government will be guided by this law should academic activities be disrupted in the nation’s universities. While the government continues to demonstrate goodwill and flexibility, it will not abdicate its responsibility to uphold fairness and accountability in the use of public resources.

The statement reassured Nigerian students, parents, and the general public that the Federal Government is firmly committed to maintaining industrial harmony in the tertiary education system.

“Ministers appealed to all academic unions to embrace partnership and dialogue rather than confrontation, in the collective interest of the nation’s higher education system.

“They reiterated that the government’s education reform agenda is designed to enhance teaching and research conditions, promote institutional autonomy through strengthened university governance, and ensure that the academic community thrives in an environment of mutual respect, productivity, and innovation.”